Day Dreamer
by cannibal-peach
Summary: DeidaraXSakura Sakura learns that artists do the most unexpected things. And that they can be nerve racking. Life takes the most unexpected turns, either way is hardship. What a pain. :3 rated T for swearing, gore and adult situations DeiSaku BEING EDITED
1. Prologue

AN: This is my first chapter of my first story so be gentle.

It's a DeidaraxSakura pairing just so you know.

* * *

Prologue-Dreaming

Blood dripped from his fingers and reflected the fire as screams of pain and terror echoed and faded in the night's air. He was viewing life though a twelve year old yet again. The nightmare that haunted him forever. His small body shook and his mind disconnected from his body in primal instinct to protect himself. He'd killed all of them. Every. Single. One. Children, mothers, father,brothers, sisters. All dead, bleeding, burning. This was his damnation. His hell. And he made it all by himself.

_It reminded him that the blood on his hands would never wash away. He was damned to hell no matter how he struggled against the damnation._

_This is what he wished for. But he regreted it. Not the death of the bastards who had hurt his family but those who were innocent. He had lost control. He wasn't truely aware of what he was doing and now they're all dead. Their blood was on his hands. _

_The only thing he could do was leave. He didn't want to die now. Not now. The only question was...Where did he go now?_

* * *

_//...I am afraid there's much to be afraid of_

_Here today and gone tomorrow_

_Don't end up in the gutter_

_Just like the one before_

_You're just the same_

_You're such a loser_

_One mistake's all it takes_

_And your life has come undone_

_Walk Away cause you're breaking up the girl_

_It's a drag_

_I know it's hard_

_But you're tearing her apart_

_Walk away cause your breaking up the girl...//_

-Garbage 'Breaking up the Girl'

Sakura walked down the streets of Konoha at exactly 10:30 am. Her grocery bags filling her arms and blocking her view. She used her chin to push down the bag obscuring her view and walked a bit slated towards her apartment door. Hers was the only door touched with spray paint, a nice gift from some little prick. She really wished she could find him to thank properly him for the artistic talent that decorated her door. She wasn't having a very good day and she knew it wasn't going to get any better.

She fumbled for her keys, finally pulling them out of her pocket and then to have them slip through her fingers. Damn.

She bent down to pick up the keys only to have her grocery bag rip and all of the food fall out of the bag. DAMN.

She snatched her keys off the ground and gathered up her groceries, ripping one of the bags but luckily not all the way. She hurried inside before anything else bad happened. Today just wasn't her day. She imagined that someone else was laughing merrily as always while she rotted in her apartment. Sakura began shoving her food rather forcefully into the cupboards and fridge. She had just gotten hold of the oranges when there was a knock at her door.

Sakura stomped to the door and yanked it open.

"What?"

"Um…..Hokage-sama wants you." The chuunin in front of her looked at her cautiously as if he was almost afraid that she was going to eat him. Now why would he think that? Sakura forced herself to smile, which in her mood turned into something between a grimace and a snarl. Which made the chuunin take a step or three back.

"I'll go to the Hokage as soon as my groceries are put away." Sakura ground out through her teeth and shut the door in the man's face with a satisfying slam which shook the walls connected to it leaving the Chunin thanking God that he hadn't been ripped to peices.

She later emerged out of her apartment later in the afternoon. She wanted to be late just so she could make Tsunade angry. She wasn't feeling very nice. Not nice at all. It was really hot, it being one of the summer months and she could feel the sweat dripping down her short dress. Dirt was kicked up and caked everyone's feet and leg since it was the dry season and they wouldn't be getting rain any time soon. She took her irratation out on helpless dirt parictals, kicking at them while she walked.

She arrived in the hokage's office fifteen minutes later than she should have, being that the walk to and from the Hokage's office was only about five minutes.

"You're late." Tsunade had her eyes closed, her head resting on her hands. It was hotter in the Hokage's office than it was outside, which made the Hokage wonder why she came to work when the A.C. was on the fritz.

She opened them and looked at Sakura sternly, ready to take out her aggration at the hot weather out on Sakura but her keen eyes, who tended to miss the slots and every other thing that went on under her nose at the gambling places she went to, couldn't miss the barely hidden aching in Sakura's eyes. No matter what Sakura said, Tsunade knew that she wasn't 'fine'.

She gave a sigh of sadness and fustration and did it for both her and Sakura, considering that Sakura was 'fine' and had no need for such sighs.

"Lately you've been getting more temper mental. I'm going to send you on an Anbu mission. It's just scouting the area. But it will get you out of Konoha so you can take a breather."

Sakura didn't say anything at all. She didn't care, not really at least. She'd felt crowded, and fustrated and had developed and extremely short temper. She quietly nodded to Tsunade and walked out not waiting to be dismissed like she had in the past.

_Was she still blaming herself for what happened to Sasuke? Yes of course._ She would not lie to herself. She wished she had been stronger. Then maybe thing wouldn't have turned out the way it had. She wondered down the street, deep in her thoughts.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!"(three guesses who) Naruto ran down the crowded street, people tripping over themselves to get out of his way. Oddly enough Naruto had ended up growing up to be a giant. He was a little more than a head taller than her so she had to tilt her head up just to look at his face. His hair had gotten long and shaggy and his shoulders broad. If she had been in such a bad mood about EVERYTHING, she would have teased him about it.

Sakura smiled. She wasn't extremely happy but she was happy enough to see Naruto. He was always trying to make her feel better, always happily greeting her no matter what.

"Yeah, what is it Naruto?"

"Well…" Naruto scratched the back of his neck and said in one breath. "I just got back from the Hokage's office which oddly enough was right after you left. I heard you were going on a mission tomorrow and I wanted to ask you if you'd like to go to the bar tonight. Everyone's going there." Naruto let out the that he had consumed during his say and looked at her hopefully. Sakura had kept turning him down yet he still kept that hope that someday she would finally join their friend again. He couldn't afford to give up. Not then, during his years trying to be a strong ninja, and now, trying to be the supporting best friend, even if that would all that he would be.

Sakura backed away, waving her hand in apology. She didn't feel like it. She didn't feel like doing anything at all really but being by herself. She just wanted to go home and hide in the dark like the coward that she was.

"Naruto, I can't I have to get ready for the mission."

Sakura clung to that excuse and turned away but not before she caught a glimpse of his crestfallen face. She felt bad about turning him down all the time. He never really asked much from her. Never really got angry or fed up with her lame-ass attitude. Not matter how many times she yelled at him to go away, he came back and stayed. It was just a little thing he was asking for. A little bit of her time was all.

"All right, Naruto. But just this once."

Sakura was grabbed from behind as Naruto held her in a bear hug and making her ribcage creak. He gave off a musky animal, foresty smell that wasn't unpleasant at all. And Sakura was reminded of how long it had been since she had had a hug. And she would have cried if she hadn't felt so hollow.

"Thank you Sakura! I'll have Ino pick you up around 8:00. Ok?"

Naruto didn't wait for her reply as he ran off to do God knows what. Sakura gave an exsparated sigh and walked back to her apartment, once again thinking dark thoughts, but had a small sad smile playing on her lips.

* * *

As promised Ino came to escort Sakura to the bar. Sakura figured that Naruto and the rest of the group thought she would run for it if they didn't chain her to one of them. They were probably right.

Ino twirled in front of her, showing off a sky blue dress, a flower tucked behind her right ear, her checks flushed and glowing happily. Sakura smiled. The least she could do was be a good friend. It was time to at least try to give up the past. Sakura at least gave an effort to look pretty. She stood in a green dress that matched her eyes. Over the years Sakura's hair had darkened just a bit so her hair looked a reddish-pink.

"Hmph. You don't look bad. I thought you were going to go to the bar looking like something that crawled out of the sewer...or worse."

Sakura sighed tiredly, everyone seemed to be looking after her welfare. She really wished they would all stop. "Leave off, Ino."

"Jesus, Sakura, You sound like you're going off to be tortured or something. We're going to the bar to enjoy ourselves. We're not going to a morgue to mourn the dead. For 'Christ Sake! show some life before I have to call 911 or something!"

Ms. Sodek from two doors down, stuck her head out the window and screamed at them to 'SHUT UP!' and began yelling about who she had just gotten her two year old daughter to sleep and if they didn't be quiet she would come down there and make their lives a living hell.

Sakura and Ino eyed the window cautiously, and then headed toward the bar quicker than anyone should walk in heels. No one messed with Ms. Sodek. No one survived to tell the tale if they had.

* * *

The bar was crowded and noisy, filled with happy, loud drunks. Sakura just wanted to turn around and leave. But Naruto had wanted her here. She couldn't do anything more to make him worry. Ino of course spotted Shikamaru, who was being hit on by a skinny little redhead with a big white smile. Shikamaru looked bored out of his mind but the red head kept on talking. Chouji was off to the side eating like usual. Ino's happily flushed cheek went even redder with rage. Shikamaru and Chouji had become family to her, just like brothers and she had become territorial about them. She even gave Sakura a warning look when she got too close. Sakura edged away just a bit from Ino and the aura of rage that surounded her. There was no stopping Ino now.

"Sakura!" Naruto voice bellowed over the crowd, turning heads. He sounded like a kid who just reseved a shiny new toy. Which made Sakura feel like scum because she'd said 'no' so many times. Sakura shoved her way through the crowd, elbowing and pushing. She left Ino to her own devices and wished luck to the little redhead.

Naruto shoved a couple of drinks down her throat and made her talk more than she had in a month. One part of her enjoyed it and another part just wanted to just hide in her apartment. It was almost midnight when they started walking home. Sakura was pleasantly warm from the alcohol and her mind was just a bit fuzzy.

Ino had succeeded in KOing the redhead and walked home with Shikamaru and Chouji, arguing and turning the air blue with colorful curses, only stopping to pat Sakura on the shoulder and have a short conversation with Kiba about Hinata.

Naruto and Sakura walked in the summer night. Both of them enjoying the breeze, the moon and the stars. Naruto studied Sakura for a monent as she enjoyed the walk, her eyes shut, and a small smile playing on her face. "Sakura…" Naruto's tone worried and cautious. He was threading on quacking grounds and he wanted to say everything just right. He didn't want to cause an unwanted responses.

"…Are you still upset about what happened?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not upset over anything." Sakura turned to Naruto and smiled. It was a false smile the one she's been wearing for years now. It hurt to see it. Worse than a sword through the chest. He really wished she wouldn't do that. She turned and walked away from him and Naruto's stomach clenched and dropped to his feet.

"Naruto.." Naruto looked up to see Sakura looking at the quarter moon like she wished she was there instead of on earth. "Don't worry about me. I don't want to be a burden to you."

Sakura walked into the darkness and disappeared before Naruto could think of a reply. It almost seemed as if she wanted to suffer. As if all the life was drained out. Where was the real Sakura?

Naruto sighed. There wasn't much he could do.

_//...Tell me where it hurts_

_to hell with everybody else_

_All I care about is you and that's the truth_

_They don't love me; I can tell_

_But you do, so they can go to hell_

_Did they ever give you a reason_

_To believe in something different_

_If you're looking for love, for what's it's worth_

_I have plently of it lying around here somewhere...//_

_-Garbage 'Tell me where it hurts'_


	2. Chapter 1 unsuccesful death

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and it's most likely that I never will...unless I become a billionaire..._

_Disclaimer: Nor do I own Garbage (the band) OR DJ Milky._

_Note: Tobi specks in third person just so you know. ("Tobi is a good boy.") yes I know he talks like an idiot.) Most of you probably don't know who he is so I suggest you look him up. He's kinda cool...Or I'm just a freak. It's probably the later one. _

_**Recommened Reading:** Chasing Naruto by AkaiTsume (SasuNaru)_

_It' s very well written and extremely amusing. _

Updated: 2/9/08, 4:35am

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.1-Unsuccessful death

//_…This is nothing new to me  
It takes more than what you've got  
To frighten me  
I'm not scared of you  
There's nothing you can do  
Or take from me _

_Untouchable  
You think you're untouchable  
You know  
No one's untouchable…// _

-"Untouchable" Garbage

Her blood pounded in her ears and all she could hear was her heart beat and the slight murmur of the voices below her, any noise past that was unknown to her. She didn't even know how loud her breath was. She felt like she had aged 30 years in the last 50 minutes. Her skin felt odd and out of place as if she shouldn't be in it. It was freezing to the touch but she felt so hot. Her vision was blurring so badly she could hardly see the forest in front of her. She hadn't felt this bad since she was 7 and she had 'accidentally' eaten her mother's cleaning supplies and had to have her stomach pumped.

_Fight. _Her body wasn't responding to the signals that her brain was sending and she wanted to scream in frustration. _IT WASN'T FAIR_! All these plots of revenge, she could finally find peace at her enemies' deaths and she couldn't even move her body. She was as helpless as a newborn baby. The frustration was so sharp she clinched her teeth shut.

There were two Akatsuki, talking idly below her and she couldn't even move her hand. But even if she could move she doubted that she was strong enough to take them on alone. Maybe if she went and got back-up…

Why had she run ahead of her team? How stupid of her. She was no better than a newly made Genin, overconfident and stupid.

Her ANBU team had gone into rouge territory and she had decided to scout by herself. Perhaps over the years Sakura had become insane. She wouldn't doubt it.

She had encountered some….difficulties but they were taken care of quickly. Not without a fight as usual, _rogue-nin were so annoying_. She had been hit with some poison kunai but had not detected any poison until now. After she had healed the cut without taking out the poison and then spotted the Akatsuki members almost immediately after that. Now her muscles twitched as if in pain and her body heat was rising to an extremely dangerous level. Invading toxins running ramped through her blood stream.

If she could move she would slap herself for her stupidity.

"We can see you little bird. Yea." His voice was louder now and she could see that his face had turns toward her position above him, even with her blurred eyes she could see that cocky grin. Her eyes widened in alarm.

_Crap. _

She wasn't going to be able to escape. In all her plans of revenge against Akatsuki she had never once been alone. She had always envisioned she would be backed up, never alone in her fight. Like another sensible ANBU would be.

But reality is a bitch sometimes.

Not much was known about Tobi info was hard to get on him but Deidara's techniques were…explosive and delicately put just plain old devastating. Even if you were fast you could still get caught by the explosion. To block that kind of attack you would need an extremely strong defense. Something Sakura didn't have. She was inevitably dead.

Sakura had not envisioned her death this way. Hell, she hadn't really ever thought about dieing. Which was odd since she lived with death almost everyday.

Out of shear stubbornness she was able to move. She was a sitting duck just squatting there in the tree like a moron. She veered to the right, ducking under another branch just as Deidara flicked a kunai in her direction.

She hadn't moved fast enough and a kunai pierced her thigh, sending her off balance. She landed on the ground, her legs and arms out instinctively to support her. There was a loud sickening crack and Sakura could only presume that one of her limbs had broken. She couldn't feel the pain and for once she was a bit thankful for the numbness.

Then cat like ANBU mask shattering as she slammed forward into the ground. Sharp rocks caught her cheekbone and the corner of her mouth. Parts of porcelain from the mask created tiny cuts on her face and she felt slightly lucky that none had pierced her eyes. She didn't want to lose her vision just yet.

"Pathetic."

A scuffing sound from his sandal as he stepped in front of her, scattering the dry dirt from ground and the particles settled on her hair and clothing. Sakura's face lifted, painstakingly slow. Dirt clung to the blood one her face making her look like a war torn orphan.

Deidara's face held surprise as he looked down at Sakura' s dirty face.

"That's Tsunade's apprentice, yea."

She hated it. She was weak. Pathetic. She couldn't even get up to save her life. Her shoulders shuddered but the rest refused to move.

"I expected more, yea."

Sakura laugh mockingly, coughing and spitting blood at the same time. "Yeah. Me too. Guess I don't hold up against any one's expectations." Her throat felt constricted as if some invisible force was choking her.

Her vision prickled and blurred and Deidara became a blurred tower that stood looming over her. She felt like her veins were shriveled and her skin felt to tight as if she didn't fit inside it. Her vision grew dark as if night had suddenly set.

"You don't look so good."

"'Got hit with poison. Stupid." Sakura slurred, tiredly. It didn't matter what she said anymore she was dead even without the interference of Deidara and Tobi.

Sakura closed her eyes. She felt so tired, her body was drifting. She laid her forehead on the ground. Half of her was struggling, screeching out that this couldn't be the end. That death couldn't come to her door just yet. There wasn't enough done.

"Hey, Sempai? If this is the famous Haruno Sakura then don't we take her to the leader? Hm? She might be of use to him. They say that her abilities can be compared to those of the Hokage. Perhaps she could heal you also. Tobi thinks that its worth a shot."

Deidara grinned. This woman might be of use.

"Yea."

That's the last of what Sakura heard before the black abyss wrapped tight arms around her and dragged her down.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Death wasn't really as painless as Sakura first thought that it would be. She knew it would be a floating feeling but she didn't think that she would still have any attachment to her body in death. Or maybe it was her soul that was hurting.

Either way agony twisted in her stomach and squeezed her lungs until she couldn't breath. She decided that she was still alive and the Akatsuki had decided to make a spectacle of watching her suffer to death. And all she could really think about was her biggest regret. Sasuke.

That time, that moment would always leave a scar on her soul. Sasuke Uchiha was a traitor. But despite that. Sakura Still loved him and considered him as part of her family. Not that it mattered anymore.

Sasuke Uchiha was dead.

And Sakura was his murderer. With the simple, harmless words of 'I love you' and then the betrayal.

Sakura regretted loving such a cold hearted person. She was stupid and naive enough to think that she could melt his heart. Sakura became aware of the breeze and up and down motion and the warm back that she rested against.

Her heavy eyelids flickered, trying to raise and failed and she sank back in to the shadows of her mind where voices were ever mocking.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"………out for a week. Want Tobi to kill her?"

"No. Idiot. Yea."

_Voices. Male Voices. _She's heard these voices before

"Look! Her eyes moved from beneath her eyelid. Tobi doesn't' have to kill her after all!"_ Oh goody! She didn't have to die! Again._

There was a scuffing sound like a chair being push back then a shadow of a human shape leaning over her through her eyelids.

"I told you that we wouldn't be killing her! Yea."

Sakura opened her mouth. Nothing comes out. She tried again. This time the tiniest whisper, the air rasping against her throat. She needed water, something to make her throat stop burning. "What the hell do you want from me? Did you just being me back to life to torment me?"

"Maybe. Depends on if you are of use to Tobi and Deidara-sempai."

Deidara cuffed Tobi on the back of the head.

"And how would she be of use to you? Yea."

"Where-?" _Where am I?_ Was what she meant to ask but the glass shards in her throat were too painful to get the words around them.

You're in my house. Yea."

"Akatsuki members have houses?" Sakura's mouth twitched upward into a smile if she didn't control herself she was going to start laughing like a crazy person. Now she knew this was a dream. Or at least do delusion of her poor overworked mind. This was too insane to be real.

"We get paid for our jobs. And some of us need a break once and awhile. Yea."

"Heh. If you work all the time you get crazy." Tobi toke the liberty of sitting on Sakura's bed. And practically on top of Sakura's leg. If she could move should would have kicked his butt.

"That's odd. I thought you were crazy already."

Sakura's eyes flickered open and she paused a moment until the room came into focus. The room was dim and she felt slightly relieved that she didn't have the stabbing pain of light piercing her eyes, though her eyes still sting with lack of moisture...

Deidara and Tobi towered over her and looked at her like she was some sort of interesting specimen, staring without really blinking. Well Deidara was anyway. Tobi could have been making fun faces at her this whole time and she wouldn't have noticed.

"You stare at me like you've never seen a female before." The staring began to irritate Sakura.

"It's has been a while. Yea."

"Unless you count the dead ones, Sempai."

Deidara smiled darkly, sending shivers down Sakura's spine. She didn't like the situation that had begun to appear before her eyes. They might be after more than torture now. Tobi hopped off the bed and moved away, not finding anything exceedingly interesting about her. Well at least she didn't have to worry about rape from him.

Deidara still stared intently at her like she was some sort of interesting never-before-seen bug. Sakura glared back, narrowing her eyes. If he tried something she was knock his head off.

"So …… you're the famous Haruno Sakura. Yea."

Tobi had started walking around the room and pick up a bottle that rested on the windowsill, toying with it. Seconds later it slipped though his fingers and shattered on the floor.

"…oops."

Deidara gave an exhausted sigh and Sakura closed her eyes and ignored them both. She figured they both were too stupid to even thing of something as disgusting and cruel as rape. She didn't know whether it was good or bad that she was stuck with the bottom of Akatsuki's barrel.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura lay in bed, her head aching and her muscles clenching and twitching of their own free will. Her eyes pained her and she kept them closed. She still didn't truly know what her purpose was here, why they had ever bothered to keep her alive. It was no skin off their backs if they left her to die on the dirty ground.

Tobi left earlier, bored to death of watching her lie in bed and do nothing. He was lazy and cocky, why he was in Akatsuki was a mystery to her. Deidara had stayed behind. Probably making sure she didn't run. _As if she could._

He slept in the red chair that sat next to her bed. Since she couldn't sleep she toke her time to study him and the room that they were staying in. The room was tastefully decorated, a bit manly but still stylish. The walls were painted a summer sky blue, an elegant wood stove sat in the far north-east corner, a stack of wood beside it. And across from that lay a wide open window, taunting her with fresh air and freedom.

Finally Sakura's eyes roamed over to Deidara.

Blond hair draped over the left part of his face, hiding his other closed eye from her. He looked extremely feminine for a guy who liked to blow things up. His right arm rested on the arm of the red chair. Oddly enough Sakura couldn't see his other arm, as if it somehow disappeared into oblivion. The sleeve hanging limply at his side. He look unusually vulnerable. Again not what she would have expected from an Akatsuki member. She'd expected that certain hard look that Sasori had, instead he look almost like a little kid that had grown a bit too big.

Sakura closed her eyes again, exhausted from the labor. She hated being this weak. She didn't like that feeling of vulnerability. Especially in front of her most hated enemy.

As Sakura rested her eyes Deidara opened his and studied her.

When he first encountered her in the rogue territory bordering the Grass country, he'd thought that she might be a bit of a challenge because of the amazing chakra level that he'd sensed and considering his arm hung limply at his side, painful, useless and irritating. This left him at a disadvantage. Oddly enough the anbu officer had not attacked right away as he'd expected, in fact they didn't even move.

He thought perhaps they were sent to spy on them. If that was the full potential of the anbu he would have been very disappointed. This person hadn't hid very well and their breathing was too loud. He'd wondered vaguely why idiots seemed to be attracted to him.

He had decided to blow their cover so that he might work some of his frustration and anger off. She'd moved slow and got nipped by his kunai. Were the anbu just letting anyone join or what? He'd thought that she'd try to make an escape but instead lashed out at him. Her moves were still sluggish and she was kicked aside with the greatest of ease.

This had just made him angrier. He did not like pathetic people. When he was just about to attack again, she looked up and turned, still on the ground, to face him. He had to admit, he admired the courage but it wasn't worth much without the strength to back it.

He stopped of course. The heart shaped face and bright green eyes gave him a shock that traveled down his spine. He remembered seeing such a beautiful face back in the Waterfall country, smiling happily. He also remembered how Itachi had told them about a pink haired kunoichi. 'Be on your guard' was what he said, all he said but coming from Itachi this meant that the kunoichi could actually kill one of them if they were by themselves. They were on high alert every time they passed the Fire countries borders. The Konoha ninjas were become far stronger than they had anticipated.

But this wasn't what he expected. Tobi was also rather disappointed, he made it known. This irritated Deidara since Tobi wasn't doing anything at all, just standing there like a stupid stick. The bastard.

Looking more carefully at the female in front of him, he realized that she was pasty white, and her veins looked almost purple under her tannish skin. Her eyes looked like they were about to roll to the back of her head, red blood dripping from her forehead and sliding down the side of her face, unnoticed.

After that everything went rather quick. He wondered if she really could fix his arm as he carried her to their base. He'd taken her to a small medical doctor, before. Genjustu always did the trick as he made himself and Sakura into everyday ordinary looking people that no one would notice, he didn't think that anyone would ask for a random anbu nin but he would rather be safe than sorry.

She stayed unconscious until two days ago and they had discussed how she would survive here. She could see she was both disgusted with herself and him. She would have to aid an Akatsuki member or die, ether was very unpleasant for her.

Deidara shifted his his chair, trying to move into a more comfortable position.

Sakura opened her eyes suddenly again at the slight sound and her eyes shot to Deidara. And then their eyes locked.

Lightning. Her eyes were such a bright green, bright as the sunlight shining through summer tree leaves. You never really saw such a bright green in someone's eyes. It was almost as if they were glowing. He felt a sudden greed and he mentally bashed it down

She still had that innocent look that younger girls have. There was also a look of pain, not that he cared. All he wanted was his arm fully healed. He did not want to play psychologist with her.

She looked bed ragged, her short pink hair fluffed around her face, a couple strands stuck up here and there and she looked so shocked to see him looking at her that he had to smile.

"If you'd like to take a bath there's one on the other side of that door. Yea." She looked a bit uncomfortable. But then who wouldn't when you're captured by the enemy.

He pointed to the door next to the wood stove. Sakura just stared at him. What did he have something on his face? He ran his hand across his face to check.

Maybe he shouldn't have suggested the bath. Maybe she didn't like to bathe.

Sakura still stared. Was it odd for an Akatsuki to offer things to her? Considering she was a prisoner and such.

But…it had been five days. She needed a bath badly. There was dried blood in her hair and on her face; along with the blood was dirt. She didn't have a mirror so she couldn't see what she looked like but she probably looked wretched. She decided to take her chances.

She nodded in thanks and stumbled out of the bed, catching herself once when her legs collapsed. Then with all the dignity she could muster brushed off her clothes and walked to the bathroom door open it and then closed it behind her.

Deidara let out a breath after the door had closed. Then smiled.

Sakura was only in a tank top and pale blue underwear and she hadn't even realized it.

_/…Alone doesn't hurt anymore_

_The pain's too strong to feel it_

_Alone doesn't hurt anymore_

_No one left to heal it_

_If I turn back on it all_

_And walk away from this place_

_Then maybe _someday someone will find

These dried up tears on my face…//

-"Suicide Ride" D.J. Milky

_Note: This is my first chapter! I'm a little nervous to tell you the truth. I hope that I didn't sprout a load of bull. I don't know a whole lot about Tobi._


	3. Chapter 2 city of limbo

Disclaimer: Me no Naruto own.

Recommended Music: Alice Nine (Artist)

_**Edited on:** 3/8/08_

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.2-City of Limbo

_/…This is the is the first _

_Thing I remember _

_Now it's the last_

_Thing left on my mind_

_Afraid of the dark_

_You hear me whisper…/_

_-Blink 182_

Sakura was shocked to see the bathroom. She couldn't tell if the bathroom was just left that way or this was purposely done. The walls that were supposed to be surrounding the bathroom weren't there. Instead ivy shielded the bathroom from the outside. Moss covered the floor cushioning her steps; vines grew up the side of the tub and the stool that sat near it.

The bath was filled with steaming water already and a towel sat on another stool on the other side of the bath.

She stripped off her clothing haphazardly, eager to rid herself of dried blood and . Wincing as she accidentally bumped against sore muscles and sank into the hot water with a sigh. The water expelled the some of the soreness that she had been feeling along with the coldness in her bones that she hadn't known she had.

She leaned back, resting her head on the corner of the tub and closed her eyes and for a small moment found an inkling of peace in her enemies bathtub.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura was toweling off her hair as she walked out of the bathroom. As she turned to the bathroom door to close it hand quickly came around her and clasped something around her neck. Startled, she turned while taking a step back, positioning herself into a defensive crouch.

Deidara looked back at her innocently.

"You..." Sakura started, angrily but broke off as she couldn't find a threat or insult good enough for him. She was losing her touch.

"I wouldn't try to take that off, if I were you. Yea." Deidara said, pointing toward the green and silver necklace that he had wrapped around her neck.

Sakura raised her hand to the necklace, searching for a clasped in spite of his warning. There was none. It was too small to slip over her head so she tried pulling it off. She couldn't get it off, it was too tough. She pulled harder. Instead of snapping off it sliced her fingers. "Argh." She gasped and instinctively cradled her bloodied hand.

"It's made of the toughest metal in the world. Three times harder than diamonds. Also the jewels dangling from chain are made of Peruvian opal and Moonstones. This it to make sure you don't decide to shorten your stay. Yea." Deidara said moving a little closer and fingering the jewel that at her neck.

The little moonstones shone crystal clear against her skin and the tear drop shaped opals were a bright green that almost matched her eyes, except that her eyes had turned darker with rage. She brought her hand to her mouth and licked the blood so that it would drop onto the floor. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her blood stain his floor.

He smiled at her. He was enjoying every minute of her rage. Which pissed her off even more. She trembled a bit, taking a few deep breathes and convincing herself that would **not** attack the asshole in front of her. She was still to weak. That poison, what ever it was, had made a mess of her body.

"I'm so glad that I amuse you." Sakura said disdainfully. Deidara's smile grew wider.

"You do, little kunoichi, you really do. I've never been entertained by a human before, only my artwork. Yea."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Sakura said, sneering at him. What the hell is the necklace for?" Sakura asked, clenching her teeth. She didn't like him so close to her. And touching her neck too.

Deidara smiled like they were having a pleasant conversation. Maybe for him it was.

"It's a dog collar of sorts. If you go passed the line it'll send a shock that'll knock you unconscious. It'll hurt. Yea."

Sakura stiffened. Was he joking? This had to be a joke. What idiot would keep her, Sakura Haruno, the Hokage's apprentice, as a pet?

"You're joking, right?" Sakura asked in a shaky voice.

Deidara just smiled.

It was enough to answer her question. This caused her, once again, to tremble in fury. This was incredibly degrading.

"Would you rather I blew up your legs? Yea." Deidara cocked his head. His hand had moved up a little to cup her cheek. He was being extremely tender with is his touch as he spoke of crippling her forever.

"I could take it off but then you wouldn't have any legs. Yea"

Sakura defiantly didn't want to be handy-capped. The wheelchairs looked fun but she didn't want to be in one for the rest of her life.

She guessed she could survive with a dog collar.

"Are you hungry? Yea?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Deidara. "No." Her answer was pretty flat and angry.

But despite that her stomach growled rather loudly. The damn traitor.

He just grinned wider.

He just walked to the door opposite of the window and stopped in the doorway. He looked over his shoulder at her and then walked out and to the right, without a word to her.

He was just leaving? Didn't he think she was good enough to escape? She tugged absently at the necklace that held her prisoner here. She **would** find a way to escape. She'd teach him not to underestimate a Konoha kunoichi. She narrowed her eyes at his back. She'd show that bastard.

She briskly walked through the doorway and looked around inspecting her surroundings. If she was going to escape she would need to know the best way out of the place.

She stood in a long white hallway and along the walls stood closed doors with all different colors and designs. No two doors were exactly alike.

"Are you going to glare at doors all day and just starve or are you planning to eat any time soon? Yea."

Deidara's voice cut through her thoughts, making her jump then, startled, jerk around, slamming her shoulder on the threshold of the door way. Next time he crept up on her she was going to smack him as hard as she could. Never mind the consequences.

He turned his back to her and walked away again before she could make a rude comment.

Sakura sighed.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was so confusing. The house was like a labyrinth and she hadn't even been through half of it. How she would escape was a mystery to her. Right now she was helpless as a new born kitten.

Mostly everything was lit with oil lamps, lit high so that she could see every little detail of the house. The house was huge and beautifully decorated. Just when you began to think you knew what the rest of the house would look like the next room would be a whole different design that toke your breath away.

Finally the came to a room painted white. Sky blue splatters of paint were tossed against the wall as if someone had had a violent temper and the only close object was an open bucket of paint. On the round green glass table that sat near a window, there sat two plates of food, a bowl of fruits in the middle and two glass cups of a pinkish color. The food gave off steam and an aroma that made her stomach growl rather loudly. If her stomach was any louder it would sound like an enraged lion.

Deidara, who had walked ahead of her, slouched in a chair, gazing out the window absently, at the steep cliffs and the canyon below.

"I'm amazed you were able to follow me. I walk faster than you and you seem to be out of shape. Yea" He said this without turning his head to look at her. If she hadn't known better he might have been calling her fat and lazy. She was anything but…wasn't she?

Sakura cautiously approached, not taking her eyes off him for one second. She wasn't going to be caught off guard by him, not once, not ever. She quietly sat down on the white cushioned chair and continued to stare at him and then her stomach grumbled at her again making her glace down at the food before her.

Was the food meant for her? If it was, was it poisoned?

"It isn't poisoned. Yea." As if he read her mind. She studied him for a moment and then picked up the chopsticks to eat the rice. She hesitated when she was just about to dig in. But what if he was lying? What if it did have some sort of poison or truth serum? He could find out all Konoha's secrets. She was hungry but she'd rather starve than make her village vulnerable.

Deidara turned and stared. He looked a bit irritated with her. But who wouldn't? She was being stubborn. They both knew it. But she would rather irritate him than eat truth serum and blab all of Konoha's dirty secrets. She'd rather hang by her toenails that do that.

Then he sighed and gave in and her attention was drawn back to him.

He leaned over and putting his hand over hers, picked up some rice and brought it to his mouth. For some reason Sakura blushed all the while his intense green-blue eyes on hers, belaying an impatience and a spark of passion. Then she glared at him and yanked her hand back.

He let go and leaned back, turning back to look out the window.

Sakura toke her sleeve and wiped the chopsticks off, it was just to intimate too share silverware with a stranger.

As she was quietly raising the rice to her mouth Deidara assaulted her with questions.

"Can you really heal me? Yea." Sakura stopped. Then thought a moment. Should she tell him the truth? It might be safer for her if she lied…Of course she preferred truth over lies. She was just that kind of person. Even if it could cost her her life.

"…….I'm not sure. But think it's kind of unlikely." There she said it.

He then got up and walked away from her, his movements jerky and frustrated. His face was twisted with anger, frustration and something close to hopelessness, for a moment she felt sympathy for him, afterall she'd been hopeless too, but then she crushed the feeling down. She never wanted to feel akin to someone who betrayed their village.

He wandered around then room, like a caged tiger, trying to figure out what to do if it was impossible for reattachment. He didn't want to go to Kakuzu for the other arm. It would screw everything up.

"Guess this was all for nothing. I'll just kill you. You aren't of use to anyone. Yea."

It was of course a lie. He wasn't allowed to kill Sakura...just yet. But she didn't know that.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. She could take being beaten but she wouldn't take being insulted. Especially about being a medic. The insult stung reminding her of her lost parents. She had worked too hard for her talents. The sweat, blood and tears and that mocking voice that had haunted her all through out her training, causing a deep inner fear, saying that she would never get any better, that she would forever be watching her loved ones back's. Watching them walk away while she remain helpless.

She slammed her fist on the table making the dishes jump and her chopsticks had snapped in half. The chair crashed onto the ground as she abruptly stood up.

"How dare you!" Sakura pointed at him, her whole arm shaking in anger. She forgot who she was talking to. Forgot for an instant that she was the prisoner, the prey, the weakling. She forgot that she was currently as weak as a kitten.

"How dare you kidnap me and then not even be sure of my skill! Are we all just fucking toys to you? Go ahead! Kill me! I'd rather be dead than suffer living with people who don't know talent when they see it." Sakura's hands had changed into fists. "I don't need to prove anything to you!"

She didn't care if he killed her now. She was just so angry. So pissed off. In the back of her mind she wondered if Naruto felt the same during his genin and chunin years.

He began to laugh. Loud and deep. A true laugh that shocked her and then made her even angrier than she had been before.

_How dare he just laugh at her!_

She was in front of him before he could blink, her open hand raised to slap. Just as fast as her, his hand moved. He held her wrist, keeping it from slapping his face. He was still grinning.

"You get so angry, so quickly. Yea" He was still gripping her hand and wouldn't let go even against her struggles. "Ninja aren't supposed to show their emotions, especially to the enemy. Yea" He brought her raised arm down, placing her hand on his cheek. His hand slide down her arm, feeling the soft skin, then back to her wrist and then going to her hand. He held it firmly but lightly in his grip. He drew her hand away from his face a little and inspected it.

"Even if I don't have use of my other arm I can still beat you. My art is the best. The fleeting beauty...Yea." He pressed his lips to the center of her palm. Tender and sweet, as if she was precious and delicate. Her fingers twitched in reaction.

Another emotion mixing with the anger, confusing her, frustrating her.

"I don't care! Just let go!"

Sakura struggled harder, finally ripping her hand away from him stumbling back, tripping and then falling. She landed on her butt and after she settled she sat there, her head hanging. She didn't understand.

_What was he doing? Was this some kind of mind game? Or was he toying with her? _

Women were odd creatures. _What was she freaking out about now?_ It was true that he hadn't meant to kiss her hand but it didn't seem like such a big deal. He'd never done that with a woman. It seem a little too…tender for him.

She sat on the floor, shaking every now and again.

"Can you take a look at it? Yea."

Sakura looked up at him confused. Were all women this stupid? What did she think he kidnapped her for?

"My arm. Yea." Add stupid to the long list of faults in Haruno Sakura.

She nodded dumbly.

She might as well follow him.

_//...Don't believe in fear _

_Don't believe in faith_

_Don't believe in anything_

_That you can't break_

_You stupid girl_

_You stupid girl...//_

_-Garbage "Stupid Girl"_


	4. Chapter 3 Strange Attraction

Disclaimer: No I don't own Naruto. If I did I would probably screw up the story board and art and then get massacred by the whole Japanese population,

Note: I looked at the story length and I'm disgusted. I write three pages and it only looks like one. How lame is that? So I've decided to write longer. But it's going to take longer to get up. Not that anyone cares. I'm thinking of deleting this. I'm just so embarrassed. Look at all the mistakes I've done. It's crappy. (My friend always reads this before anyone else and she says it's good but I know she's just being nice.)

Day Dreamer

Ch.5-Strange Attraction

_/…Strange attraction spreads its wings_

_It varies but the smallest things_

_You never know how anything will change_

_And alters but the smallest things_

_And you never know…/_

_-The Cure 'Strange Attraction'_

* * *

They were in a lab of sorts. The smell of chemicals, the anatomy books spread across the glossy black tables, body charts and x-rays posted on the plain white walls. Scalpels, syringes, vials of medicine and disinfectant sat on shelves that lined the walls or on the black tables. Sakura raised an eyebrow at them. If had so much medical technology then why hadn't he just fixed the arm himself?

He caught her and raised an eyebrow in return. "I had Tobi fetch them for you. He's an idiot but sometimes he's useful. Yea."

_Was her face just an open book for anyone to read?_

Deidara moved to the stand next to the long black benches that strode next to the tables.

He removed his cloak and his shirt and plopped down onto the bench.

Sakura toke that as a hint to start.

She made at move toward him.

Deidara looked at her distrustfully at her. "Try anything and I'll blow you head off. Yea."

Sakura didn't doubt him on bit.

She moved to stand next to him and her eyes roamed down to his left arm, or what was left of it.

His arm was ripped off a little ways down from his shoulder. It wasn't a clean cut, the skin ragged and had a red swollen look to it and she was betting that the blood was clotted around the area. There were bandages and what looked like clay that were wrapped around the wound. She cringed. It looked like he had left this for days. She had

been expecting something better than this. This was going to be a pain in the ass to heal.

Sakura sighed, feeling sorry for herself. Didn't he know how to take care of himself?

Needless to say the wound was horrible, gory and gave off an unpleasant smell. And even though she was experienced in the medic field and worked close with people everyday, she felt awkward leaning over Deidara as she examined the wound. It made her blush being so close to her skin. She could fell the warmth radiating off of him. Smooth, warm and tan. She wanted to run her hands over his skin just to feel. It was so tempting. Once again she was feeling sorry for herself, wish so of the guys in Konoha looked this good.

Maybe if there had been she would have stayed there instead of being captured by the Akatsuki.

'But Naruto looked just as good.' Her mind chided. After all he had gotten very handsome over the years. He looked like a golden god. And he was going to be Hokage.

What more could a girl ask for? He was always attentive, caring and thoughtful. He was strong and gentle at the same time. So why was it that she was, at the very least, physically attracted to an S-class criminal when she had the perfect guy right there in front of her?

_Oh. God. Life is a bitch._

She snapped out of her thinking to realize that she had been staring rather forcefully at his muscled chest. He must've noticed. After all she could kill him if he wasn't watchful, so who wouldn't watch their enemy closely? Her eyes snapped up to his eyes.

He merely stared at her, not moving. If she hadn't been so close to him she would have thought she had stopped breathing. But now that she was looking at him, staring him straight in the eye, she was amazed by the color and shape.

The bright green with that mixture of blue, like brightly colored sea glass, his pupil was bigger than a normal humans would be, as if his body had decided the normal sight for the human body would not do and had adjusted it so that he could see more. His eyes were out lined in black; this she knew protected him from the glare of the sun, making it easier to target his victims. He was like a piece of art himself, giving off an air elegance and beauty, which was extremely rare for a man.

Sakura looked down again, uncomfortable with the time that their gaze had locked. She was trying as hard as she could to find him repulsive. She told herself that he was a born killer, a man that bathed in the blood of other people, told herself that he wasn't even remotely attractive. But somehow she still felt a sort of attraction to him.

He was really getting to her.

As she became more frustrated with herself his voiced intervened.

"You can't heal it? Yea."

She looked up at him, shocked.

"Just as I thought. You really are just a useless female. Yea"

"I…" An excuse. Perhaps if she delayed the healing a little longer she could escape

without helping the Akatsuki. She would like to kill at least one of them but escaping was

the best she could hope for.

"I'm just a little tired, nothing else. The poison sapped most of my chakra." Sakura wouldn't meet his eyes. It was too easy for him to read her mind. She said it indifferently, hoping it didn't sound defiant.

He narrowed his eyes at her, studying ever detail.

"Fine. Yea"

She didn't see the fist until it was too late. Her head snapped to the side, her cheek smarting, already reddened with pain, a little blood smearing her bottom lip from were her tooth sliced into her lip. She just stayed like that for a couple seconds, her mind registering exactly what happened. Black spots obscuring her vision. Then she turned back to stare at him, bared teeth, showing how much she wanted to hit him back, three times as hard. He toke this calmly. But despite the expressionless face, she could see the twinkle of pleasure and mischief in his eyes. Then his face cracked into a boyish smile.

"I just wanted to make a point clear. Yea."

She could have dodged that, She could have. _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._ Goggling like some love-sick puppy. But she didn't get it. This **never** happened to her before. Not since Sasuke.

_Why now? Why __**him**_

Maybe this really proved that she was totally out of her mind.

The perfect guy was just waiting for her signal and he would sweep her off her feet and

she found herself attracted to a criminal with emotional problems.

"I-you don't-!" Sakura fumbled with her words, so furious she didn't even know what to

say. She backed away from him, leaning against the table, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, her hand clenching the edge of the table, her head tilted slightly up to the ceiling, baring a beautifully curved, white neck.

_Control. Control._ She was going to get herself killed or they would catch on to her and

her escape plan, and whatever it was, whatever it was going to be, would be ruined.

It was odd. He had seen women cry in frustration because they couldn't beat him, scream in rage, he'd seen them beg for their lives, getting down on hands and knees before him,

but this woman, this _girl_ merely closed her eyes. It looked as if she was praying to some

unknown god. What would he do with a girl who prayed? Who let everything go?

Where was the anger and crying? How was he supposed to break her if all she did was

keep it in? He needed to bend her to his will. The Akatsuki will.

He had promised the leader that he would get Haruno Sakura on their side or kill her. It

would be a waste to kill her. And he still needed her to reattach his arm.

This silence and surrender made him uneasy.

"I expect you to be better in two days. Yea."

He couldn't take it. It was suffocating. The plain angelic beauty of her. _What was she? A saint?_

He was going to end up killing her even if she did join. He couldn't stand good people.

He just stood up and walked out of the room. Sakura felt him leave some part of her, following him out. She opened her eyes and glanced down at the bench. He'd left his cloak and shirt.

It was cold, after all they had traveled down three, long sets of stairs and she was pretty sure that they were at least 50 feet under ground.

_Good. Let him freeze._

Sakura pushed back from the table and headed for the door, her feet quietly moving across the floor. She only spared a glace at the cloak before heading out the door leaving it where it was. Outside she paused.

_Which way do I go?_

_Way wasn't I paying attention to my surroundings!_

'Because you were too busy looking at him.' One half of her mind said, snickering at her foolishness.

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! _She half crouched, her hands up and gripping her head.

_What the hell is wrong with me?! _

* * *

_/…A skilled criminal mind_

_So calm_

_Tracking my every move_

_Unrelenting my conscious clear_

_A force to be feared_

_Wretched and pure_

_Tricky and dangerous_

_Don't question _

_Of challenge_

_A promise written in blood_

_Take life for pay_

_Professional killer…/_

Well there you go. Back Rabid Reviewers! BACK!! (pokes with stick)


	5. Chapter 4 Freedom?

Disclaimer: Takes off glove and slaps lawyer across the face.

"En Gourde, bitch!" (On guard) Pokes with can-opener.

A/N: I would like to thank the people who actually reviewed, but I have to tell you, I lose confidence easily when you don't review. I wonder to myself. 'Do they like it or do they think that this is a piece of crap?' For a while I was thinking of deleting it. After all this is the first time I've really shown my stories to anyone.

Warning: This chapter might make you a vegetarian for a while. I AM NOT TO BLAME!!!

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.6- Freedom?

_//…Step by step, left, right, left_

_Heart to heart_

_We all fall down _

_Like toy soldiers_

_Bit by bit torn apart_

_We never win_

_But the battle wages on for toy soldiers…//_

_Eminem 'Toy soldiers'_

He paced in a hallway, one of many in his house. Along the wall was a long straight line of red paint, the only color in the pure white hallway. But oddly the white only made him more furious, reminding him of Sakura.

Damn woman. He should just kill her. Screw his arm, he could live without it.

He slammed his fist into the unfortunate wall beside him, making a sizeable dent in the plaster.

He turned roughly, going back the way he came. To Sakura.

* * *

Sakura was breathing heavily after having her fit of rage, strands of her hairs blocking her

view and her face flushed with anger. Some of the wall in shambles

from where her fist had landed, imagining his face in the same exact spot, she was still

crouched slightly in a fighting posture and if she was ready for the defense-less walls

were going to rear up and fight back.

Her breathing slowed down until it was back to her normal pattern. She straightened, taking a deep breath and brushed her hair with her fingers until it was back in order. She looked around, her green eyes analyzing everything around her.

Deciding she didn't want to stick around, she ran off into the opposite direction, up one stairwell.

Okay there are three sets of stairs that she went down.

She had just gone up one. She just had two more to go. If she got to ground-level then she could get outside and escape. Her fingers roes up to her neck to feel the necklace/ collar that Deidara had put on her.

It probably didn't work any way. He just said to keep her in line.

Sakura looked around and sighed. She really needed to pay attention to her surroundings.

She turned around the corner that was beyond the stairs, finding herself in another long hallway and huffed. This placed may be artistic and beautiful but it was still creepy. Instead of random designs like on the upper level, decorating the wall were paintings of demons, all in black and red.

Despite herself she hurried down the hallway, not wanting to stay there any longer then needed. As she turned another corner she found another long stairwell, this time instead of being all black like the other one, it was decorated with painted snakes, a startling white against the darkness of the black. The snakes almost looked alive, curling and winding.

She thought of Orochimaru and shuddered. She didn't stay on the stairs long.

* * *

That damn woman. Deidara stared at the remains of his basement wall.

It wasn't enough that she was annoying, hormonal and macho. She just had to go around and destroy his house. The house that he spent two years building. And three months painting.

Deidara sighed. Why couldn't she just cower in fear like any other woman? Or die. She wouldn't be a pain in the ass if she just died.

Oh…..SHIT! Now she was lose in the house.

Wonderful. This wasn't good. What if she found his studio? She would ruin everything. All of his artwork.

He paced back and forth, thinking of the horrible things that she could do to his house.

He had to find her quick.

If I were a female where would I go?

Only one thing that she wants.

Deidara rushed off.

* * *

Sakura was breathing heavy once again, this time not in rage but in fear.

The fear of being caught.

This was her chance.

If she could just navigate her way outside, she could make a break for it.

But what if he had decided to come back for her?

She looked around franticly. Just one more stairwell and she was above ground. One more. One more. It was a chant in her head that gave her a shed of hope. Just one more.

She was so cold. A short medic skirt and tank top didn't help her keep warm. The adrenalin that pumped through her didn't help shaking either. Just stay calm.

There was a strong metallic smell coming from the hallway, it toke her only a second to recognize it. Blood. The reeking stench of old blood. Almost too powerful. Making her dizzy and sick.

There was only one way. She wasn't backing down now. She toke a step into the depth of the hallway. Another. Another.

She put her shaking hand to her mouth and stumbled through the hallway, her other brushing against the wall, trying to support herself. Another step.

Almost there. The hallway was dark and it somehow felt that as she moved deeper into the depth of the hallway it got darker and colder. It was so dark that she couldn't see her hands in front of her face.

She couldn't see the end of the hallway. There was no light to speak of. But she kept going because that small hope would be crushed if she didn't try. The small hope that told her she would be free.

Almost there

She stopped to rest. Maybe that would help stop the shaking. She lend forward slightly and hit her head on the door.

No. no. no. Where was the staircase?

Her mind panicked a moment then calmed.

Maybe the stairs where on the other side of the door. Just a bit farther.

Shaking even harder, her hand raised up to touch the door blocking her way.

Breathing heavily, she felt the door until she found the door knob.

Grasping it tightly she turned it. The door knob felt dirty, concentrating on it, somewhere in the back of her mind made her realize that it was dried blood and she swatted the need to let go immediately.

The door opened silently. The silence somehow frightening. The metallic stench of rotting corpses and old blood raised smashed her like a fist. It was even colder in here. There was a drastic change in temputure. The room was too dark to see anything.

Light. Light.

Her hand searched the wall for a little switch or lamp, anything to take the eerie darkness away. She was rewarded for her search when her hand moved downwards.

The light turned on and she shielded her eyes until they had adjusted. Lowering her hand she stumbled backwards and fell, fighting an urge to throw up.

She had seen dead bodies before, had killed before, but she had never seen anything like this.

Rotting bodies hung from hooks like meat. A huge black table sat in the middle of the room, dried blood on the top and down the legs of the table from where the blood escaped, pooling underneath. A torso, or what was left of it, rested on the table, as if waiting for someone to piece the rest of the body together.

Bodies littered the floor, all missing some part of their body. Some more than others.

The beside her were two bodies, almost fully intact, in a rotting embrace. Some things were so decayed that she couldn't tell if it was human or not.

She toke a breath through her mouth, not breathing through her nose because she believed that she would pass out if she smelled any thing in this room, trying to steady herself.

Her eyes scanned the room for the door and spotted on past the rack of corpses.

She stood up shakily, keeping her eyes on the door. She wouldn't let anything stop her.

"Well. You're got more guts than the _other_ women. Yeah."

Sakura jumped, spun around to face the voice and fell backwards, colliding into the table and caused the torso to fall into her lap.

She shuddered, threw it off her lap and crawled backwards away from it.

She didn't think her heart could beat any faster.

Deidara stood at the doorway, looking irritated. He walked over to her, his strides eating the ground between them. He kicked an arm out of his way, not bothered by the gory scene or the stink of rotting flesh. He crouched when he got to her.

His hand came up to hair, cupping her head gently. He smiled.

"Bad dog. Yeah."

He tightened his hold, gripping a fist full of her hair. He toke her head and slammed it into the dirty floor, making her scream in pain and her vision go white, but didn't nock her unconscious. The second time he did it harder and she was out.

_//…Hope dangles on a string_

_Like slow spinning redemption_

_Winding in and winding out _

_The shine of it caught my eye_

_And roped me in _

_So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing _

_I am captivated…//_

Dashboard confessional- 'Vindicated'

* * *

An: Man is Deidara mean. oh well. I'm not really into the too sweet mush crap that some people write. Love is pain. Just the way it is.

I would like to thank the people that reviewed once again. Thankyou so much. Also I won't be writing for a while because I need to do a college paper. Okie Dokie?

And I would like it if all of you reveiwed without me complaining about. But I could always scream at you again. And laugh evilly. I think I'm getting pretty good at laughing evilly.


	6. Chapter 5 Claustrophobia

Disclaimer: (Throws coconut at lawyer. stabs with banana.) "…..EVIL RABID MONKEYS ATTACK!!." (sends evil rabid _pregnant_ monkeys at lawyer) "Ahem. No I do not own Naruto… (Looks at monkeys) "Yes! Bite him!! Whooho!" (Note: Evil monkeys rock)

Note: You guys did very well with reviewing last time. Good Job! Hands out candy to reviewers. And for those of you who didn't….Shame Shame!!! Bad!! No treats for you!

Oh by the way my paper is done! Yay! Not that any body cares… It took such a long time because the teacher kept changing the formats and she told us not to use certain sources. God Damn you! Why can't you just take the freakin paper and stop wasting my precious time?!

–sigh- Oh well nothing I can do about it.

Any way on with the story.

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.7- Claustrophobia

_//…I'm in the room without a light _

_The room without a view _

_It tortures me to move my hands_

_To move at all_

_And pulled_

_My skin so tight it screams_

_And screams and screams_

_And pulls some more_

_My body is cut and broken_

_It's shattered and sore_

_My body is cut wide open_

_I can't stand anymore…//_

_-_The Cure "Torture"

Her head pounded like someone had taken a hammer and bashed her head over and over again. Her mouth was so dry, an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

She kept her eyes closed in the fear that she was still in that horrible room and Deidara had buried her under the rotting corpses, probably hoping to suffocate her. She shuddered and despite herself, she became intensely aware of the thing lying on top of her and realized that it felt like a rough blanket and the bed on which she lay on was cold and hard.

She took a deep breathe and opened her eyes only to be greeted with darkness. She sat up and felt along the floor that she lay on. Cold solid stone.

She ran her hands along the floor until she reached the joint connection between the floor and the wall. No bodies. Good. But it was still dark.

She followed the wall with her hands, walking along it. Still cold stone. No door. Not even a small opening.

She reached a corner and started running her hands along a new wall. She hadn't stumbled across anything different. No bodies, no light switches. Nothing. She was starting to panic but just a little. After all it was just the dark. Just the dark. God, she was acting like a child, trembling in terror of some imaginary bogyman.

She reached the other end of the wall and started on the third side. Still nothing. She started feeling the next wall her heart beating faster. Then she reached the end.

She got down on her hands and knees and felt the floor for a trap door or a small opening. She scrambled around franticly, pushing the blankets aside. Still nothing.

She stood up and raised her hands above her, searching for the ceiling she even jumped a little to reach but couldn't get high enough, her arms waving through the air.

After about fifteen minutes of trying this she finally gave up and sat heavily on the floor. There where no windows and there probably wasn't a door. How had she gotten here? Was this an illusion? Just something to drive her crazy or break her will?

She wouldn't give up. She refused to give in.

If she was going down she was going to take those bastards with her. But…it was so dark and despite herself she was afraid. Flashes of the dead bodies still crowded her mind.

Would she end up like that? Torn apart and rotting, none of her friends or loved ones knowing she was dead. Maybe even forgetting she existed.

That thought, knowing that no one care or felt anything for her, was the most terrifying to her. She shivered just thinking about it, tears coming to her eyes. It terrified her to think that they would forget her.

As much as she acted like she was strong and brave, the truth was that she couldn't stand to be alone. She was weak and cowardly. She was pathetic just like they said she was. She could imagine that's why Sasuke had looked at her with disgust, because he had seen right through her. She had worked so hard to change herself and she had her fear most under control. But she still felt that fear creep up on her every once in a while. Especially when she was by herself.

Sakura hunched down and curled her arms protectively around herself, her head resting on her arms. She squeezed her eyes closed, the tears that had stayed in her eyes making shining tracks down her face.

This wasn't happening. It was just a bad dream.

* * *

She was breaking he could feel it. Though he could not see through the clay box he'd set her in he felt her with his chakra. Who would have guessed that the mighty Sakura, the medic apprentice of the Fifth Hokage, was afraid of the dark? Honestly it was just a box made out of his clay and chakra. 

It just proved his theory on women. They were mentally weak and had far too many mistakes. No courage what so ever. Even macho chicks like her could be broken easily if you just the right place to hit.

But despite his triumph he was a little disappointed. After all she was stronger than any woman he had ever fought.

He had studied her, had looked her up in bingo books. Had even gotten to spy on some of her battles. Guess it was too much to ask for her to be a challenge.

Well he was about to add a new brainwashed Akatsuki member to the group.

Deidara smiled bitterly.

Then staggered in shock.

She was trying to punch through the walls. It would be impossible for her to get through. After all it was made by him and was one of his earlier master pieces. Of course she couldn't get through, even with her extra strength.

This also proved another of his theories on women. They were absolutely insane.

* * *

The noise of her fist against the wall made a sickening crunching, wet sound. Like her whole hand was breaking. 

This skin along her knuckles was scrapped and bleeding; smearing blood on the wall each time she hit it.

But she had managed to make a crack in the wall. It was a small one but if she kept hitting it, it would probably give. Even a little more would be good.

He had to be watching, the sick freak. She would show him not to underestimate a woman. Especially this woman.

Her hand radiated pain, the throbbing getting more pronounced every time she hit, but she kept on going. That little hope that she had of escaping was still there. Naruto had come out of impossible situations and had lived. She could do it.

She was still afraid, still a coward, but if she just sat there and cried then she really wasn't worth of the attention that her loved ones gave her now was she?

Just as she raised her fist to strike again she was grabbed from behind and her fists were restrained. She was held against a warm body and couldn't get away even through her twisting struggles.

"Do you have to destroy everything at my house, Yea?" Deidara's voice vibrated through her hair, his breath blowing it off her neck. Sakura shuddered again, but this time instead of rage it was fear. Plain terror. She had never feared death. She only feared dieing alone. And this man, whoever he was, whatever he was, held her life easily in his hands and he wouldn't be bothered a bit if he closed his fist and made that bright flame, her spirit, flicker and die. She couldn't even struggle against him because of his strength, that sheer power that towered over her. She had every right to be afraid.

But she hid her fear behind anger, like she always did.

"You Son of a B-" Sakura started swearing at him, intending to rant and swear at him. As one normally does when one is angry. But just as she almost got the whole thing out, his hand clamed over her mouth and his voice hissed in her ear.

"Now listen. I'm going to say this once. I don't like women. I hate them. If it wasn't for orders and your ability, you wouldn't be alive. And apparently I wasn't clear enough when I described the rules. Yea."

Deidara gave an aspirated sigh. Why was it that he was stuck with the idiots?

"You heal me. You stay _alive_. You refuse. You're dead. Crow food. Or I can stick you in that room that you _weren't supposed to be in_." He gave her a shake before he went on. "You stay out of the rooms that have the doors closed. Don't venture down into the lower levels and **_do as I tell you_**. Don't constantly wander down hallways and **_never_** go up the silver tree staircase. Yea."

He shoved her away from him, making her stumble and fall. She didn't bother to rise all the way but crouched on her feet, ready to attack.

Deidara glared down at her, towering like a vengeful god. Her hands clenched in fists.

"If you can't take the rules then you can just go and hang yourself. Yea."

Sakura stared at him. Aid Akatsuki or die. Aid Akatsuki or die. No bargaining and from the way things were going she wasn't going to escape.

"What happens if I chose to actually heal you? What then?!" Sakura was being defiant, she couldn't help it. Trying to irritate him, just to get back at him a little. This wasn't the smartest thing to do.

Deidara sneered at Sakura. "Were you planning to kill me during your "exam"? Yea."

Sakura stayed silent. It wasn't best to insult temper mental Akatsuki member. She had thought of it. But only a little, after all he threatened to blow her head off.

"What's your answer? Yea."

He was getting impatient; he couldn't leave because there was a slight chance that she might be able to tear down the wall, damn woman.

Sakura only thought a moment. After all what normal person wouldn't choose it?

She glared at him, their eyes connecting, creating invisible electricity. "Kill me then."

Oh boy. Was he pissed. His order were to tame her so she could become one of them, there was no way he could kill her. The leader wouldn't much like Haruno Sakura to die. Not when there was so much potential.

He couldn't touch her. Wasn't allowed to. Damn the leader, Damn Akatsuki, and damn women in general.

But he had to show her something that would make her actually fear for her life. Something to shock the act of defiance out of her. She thought he was fooling around. Thought he was bluffing. He was but she shouldn't even try to guess that. Stupid wench.

Well exploding things around her wouldn't make her handicapped or kill her now would it?

That's just what he did. Ruthlessly attacking the area around her, carefully avoiding any of her vital points. Sending her stumbling into walls until she was to dizzy to know were she was. After his little performance she stumbled wavered and then spotting him, went after him, hands out to wrap them around his neck, and then she fell flat on her face.

He couldn't help himself as his lips curved into a small smile. After all who often was it that you got to see and A-class ninja fall flat on their face? And with that his anger and frustration just evaporated.

Sakura lay there a minute, regaining her senses and trying to drown her embarrassment. She picked her head up and glared at him, daring Deidara to laugh outright at her. Of course he had the nerve to look totally innocent.

"Don't think I won't kill you. Yea." Deidara said this with an angelic smile, as if they were talking about something pleasant. Why was she attracted to the sadistic men?

Sasuke and now Deidara. She hoped this wasn't going to be a pattern.

For now she would just have to play his game. Stay as close as she could to him and then when his guard was down she would hit him hard. Either that or find a way though this labyrinth that he called a house.

Sakura grunted as she got to her feet, stumbling back. She snapped her eyes up to Deidara daring him to remark on her lack of balance.

Wisely he said nothing. Just grinned and waited for her answer.

"Fine. I accept your stupid rules." As childish as it was, she had to put some defiance into her words otherwise it would seem like she was giving in to easily.

Heh. This is why men where the dominate species. He moved to the wall behind Sakura and, molding the chakra in the clay into another pattern, he stood by the makeshift door and with a mocking bow he silently told Sakura that she could come out.

What was this? Timeout?

Sakura stared at Deidara for a second before walking past him into the light.

Deidara followed Sakura with his green-blue eyes, mostly lingering on the backs of her very exposed thighs. If Sakura had caught him staring she might have tried to chuck any sharp projectiles she had with in her grasp.

_//…I watch the heavens _

_but I find no calling_

_Something I can do _

_to change what's coming_

_Stay close to me_

_while the sky is falling_

_Don't wanna be left alone…//_

-"World on fire" Sarah Mclachlan

* * *

Note: Well that's all she wrote. For now. Sorry this one was pretty uneventful. 

I'm having brain blockage. I'm in desperate need of inspiration so tell me if you got any so I can borrow some.

So I guess this chapter is just Sakura going over the house rules and getting out of timeout. And apparently Deidara-chan is a leg man. He doesn't really look like a chest man to me. Lucky for Sakura she's got dynamite legs and barely any chest.

……That is the exact opposite of me. –cries- It really sucks having breasts. Really it does. Okay. Now that I got that off my chest I think I'll go to bed. My pillow and teddy bear are calling. Yes I sleep with a teddy bear. MY TEDDY BEAR PWNS YOUR TEDDY BEAR! SO HA!!


	7. Chapter 6 Writing on the wall

**Disclaimer**: (sics Ed on lawyer) "Bwahahaha!! She's even worse than the evil rabid monkeys!" (Ed tears lawyer apart) "Heh. Looks like the lawyers wouldn't be bothering me for a while." (Pats Ed on head) "Good job Ed."

(**Note**: I do not own Naruto. If I did I would sue the people who made Naruto say "Believe it!" in the anime) (stabs Naruto) "It's what you get for saying 'believe it'!" Naruto: xx

(**Note**: If any of you had noticed I'm having way too much fun writing the Disclaimers.)

**Note**: I've been looking at the stats for this story and about 230 people are reading it…..I have only about 36 reviews…I'm very tempted to go on a strike right now. Really if it wasn't for the people who are actually reviewing I would. I love the people who review. I bless them.

Of course the people who didn't review were freakin lazy and couldn't drag there cursor over to the review button. Lazy Bums!

Also I would like to thank Norwegian Dragon for being the first person out of 48 to review and for helping me get a bit of inspiration back. I'm dedicating this chapter to you. I'm sorry if it doesn't turn out well. (Sobs)

**Also I'd like to thank sillymail, Illusion Aura, Anime-freakazoid-101**( I'm glad that I'm not the only one that sleeps with a teddy bear)**, Sweet Assassin and itachisgirl101 for reviewing constantly. Thank you so much! Your reviews are always so positive! **(In fact I haven't really gotten yelled at once… great. now I'm paranoid.)**You guys honestly don't know what they mean to me.**

**Also other people who have been very kind and reviewed: The Rogue Stallion** (who I've been told is currently not eating meat…lol) **Neko.Sammich, Twisted Shark, Emily, xDeadlyDiseasex, mmmmmmmm** (Who ever you are…)**, flaminina, ReiKai101, Tifachanx, Vangoghgirl, Tofu-Master, Neji's Girlfriend, midnights-dawn, Miao **

**And last but not least Arachnid Kitty!** (I wuvv you!!) Heh. I don't mean that I don't love the rest of you guys it's just that Arachnid Kitty is a very good friend of mine. (She's the best)

And even though I bitch a lot, I have to say that I'm pretty okay with the reviews. BUT

You still have to review.

Okay…Shutting up now.

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch. 8- Writing on the wall

_//… "This dream never ends" you say_

_The time will never come to slip away_

"_This sun never sets again_

_These flowers will never fade"_

"_This wonder never leaves_

_The time will never come to say goodbye"_

"_This night never falls again_

_These flowers will never die"_

_These flowers will never die_

"_This dream will always end" I say_

_The time always comes to slip away_

"_This sun always sets again_

_And these flowers will always fade"_

"_This night always falls again"_

_These flowers will always die_

_Always…//_

-The Cure

* * *

Sakura walked in front of Deidara, even though he was to one that was supposed to leading her to her new room. She held her head high, in a way that most people would have called snobbish. She had been utterly humiliated by him and her ego had taken heavy blows. Of course she couldn't do anything in return because he held all the power. One day she promised that she would get back at him in some way. 

She stopped at an intersection a turned to glare at him, as if to say 'quit fooling around, moron.' Needless to say that it was a pretty dirty glare. Of course it didn't faze Deidara since he was in a pretty good mood. After all he had just knocked Sakura around.   
He really had enjoyed seeing her suffer.

He toke his time reaching her. Walking at a slow pace, dragging the wait for him to a maximum, irritating her further. He grinned all the while, like a Cheshire cat.

As he reached her, he turned a left, brushing against her slightly, watching her from the corner of his eye, daring her to bare her fangs. Now he was leading. She walked behind him down the hall way, not wanting to walk next to him, and not wanting to speed up to make it look like she was racing him. Being next to him would make her twitch, she knew it. After all she was physically attracted to him. She wouldn't lie to herself. He was elegant but strong, and he had good taste. She had also seen that he had a good muscular build. Not insanely strong so that his muscles bulged and his arms didn't look like big packages of sausage ham.

Sakura sighed. Why couldn't the bad guys look horrid looking? He had one missing arm and no left eye...But he didn't seem to have any huge disfiguring scars.

Blaming her attraction on him, she glared daggers into his back. If looks could kill Deidara would be twitching in a pool of his own blood already.

Deidara sensing this looked over his shoulder at Sakura, who quickly looked elsewhere. Suddenly the hallway became very interesting. The blue and white paint spirals decorated the hallway, reminding Sakura of the ocean.

Noting where her eyes wandered, he glanced over to the walls too.

"This hall way is for Kisame when he visits. Everything behind every closed door here is his. Yea" He returned his gaze to the front of him.

Kisame's eh? If all the hallways belong to the Akatsuki members, then what Akatsuki member owns the black hallway?

He sensed that she had a question but couldn't get it out. He looked over his shoulder at her and sure enough her brow was furrowed in concentration, her eyes clouded with thoughts, heavy thoughts. She felt his gaze a looked up, meeting his sea-green eye.

"Spit it out. Yea" He look vague annoyed at her, as if she was being incredible dumb.

Sakura opened her mouth. "Ah…" Then closed it again. This wasn't helping her image. She must look incredibly stupid, gapping like a fish.

She toke a breath, steadying herself of the onslaught of his fury when she asked the question. After all he was territorial. More than usual. About his house… Most men were territorial with their women but not Deidara. All he cared about was a building. Sakura would have smiled at the thought of Deidara being madly in love with a house, if she hadn't been thinking such serious thoughts.

"That room…" The filthy, horrible one. The one with all the corpses. The one she was scared to go 50 feet near. She lowered her eyes, slightly ashamed that she was sickened by the room, or just plain scared of it. She was a ninja. A jounin. How many dead bodies had she seen? "…" She didn't say anything more. Maybe she didn't really want to know.

"Orochimaru. Yea." He didn't say anything more. He had turned his vision forward again, leaving her to stare at his back.

Honestly she hadn't expected him to answer her.

She smiled ever so slightly.

* * *

Damn woman was getting to him. 

His back prickled, as he felt her gaze. He wanted to turn around and throttle her.

This is why he didn't like women. They made him nervous.

"Was Orochimaru here for a long time?" He stiffened at the sound of her soft voice. It made him twitch, that gentle caressing sound. He didn't like it because it was soothing; it was something like a mother's voice.

He would feel guilty for snapping at her. He already felt guilty for even thinking of it.

Damn women and their tricks.

"Every so often. Yea." Everyone knew now that Orochimaru was an ex-Akatsuki. Konoha doesn't take to kindly to the people who sent them to their knees. Konoha ninja were well known for their fierceness in battle as well as their talent.

Once they had known the person they were up against, they'd tracked down his past, trying to find every detail about him. Of course it also help that one of his former students still lived and would be glad to help.

"He was annoying. Something is rotten about his character. Yea."

(An: I'm sorry if I'm offending any of you Orochimaru fans by slashing Oro-chan, but he makes a good bad guy…Would you have preferred that I slash Itachi?)

* * *

"Rotten." Sakura agreed, after all he stole Sasuke from her. They reached the end of Kisame's hallway. 

Vaguely she wondered what they would need so many rooms for.

They turned right this time at the intersection, the hallway painted in haunting pictures, all done in red or black. The pictures weren't exactly troubling, just…mesmerizing, somehow a bit sad.

Deidara stayed silent, not giving away any information. She felt she had asked too many questions anyway. She ignored him and studied the walls.

There was a scuffing sound behind the door to her upper left and she turned her head sharply at the noise. Then looked at Deidara.

He was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, obviously waiting to be bombarded with her questions.

"Are there…others here? Besides you and Tobi?" She asked it in a quiet voice, not giving him any reason to be profusely angry with her.

Deidara sighed. He was starting to wish she would start yelling, swearing and trying to hit him again.

"Not yet. Yea." He looked thoughtful for a moment, working a schedule in his head. "In about a day or two. Yea."

"Then what was…?" Sakura looked suspiciously at the door. Did they keep other prisoners or were they keeping so wild animal?

"It's nothing that concerns you. Yea." The cold voice made Sakura want to slap him.

"I see." They passed the door, Sakura eyeing it cautiously as she passed.

This hallway toke her breath away. She believed it was the very top of the house since they had gone up three staircases. They hadn't said anything to each other all the while, which was fine with Sakura since she was busy soaking in every detail.

She told herself that she was just doing it so that she would have a better chance at escaping, but her mind knew that she was fascinated by the designs. Even the architecture was different than the norm.

Each hallway was like take a trip into another world. But this world was her favorite. Instead of just designs like the other hallways this one had writing on it. It was written in a shimmering gold dust, the letters elegantly sweeping across the walls. The words were strange, not something she could make out. Every so often there would be a picture of some sort, a star, a human being. This hallway almost reminded her of a holy place. The hallway ceiling curved, also decorated with pictures. The door frames were decorated with gold leaves, letting so of the natural wood peek out.

Sakura had stopped at the beginning of the hallway, stunned beyond words, her eyes roaming everywhere while her mouth hung open.

Deidara kept on walking, not bothering to even order the stupid woman around.

He stopped at a door, a painting of a water nymph decorating it. He toke out a key from with in his cloak and unlocked the door, letting it swing wide open.

He turned and looked at her. She stood still gapping at the writings on the wall. In a second he appeared behind her and with a hand on her lower back he began to guide/shove her toward the door.

"What?!...Hey!" Sakura turned her head to look at him while he kept pushing her.

He didn't look annoyed at all. Just thoughtful.

He got to the doorway and shoved her in. She still had her mouth open but this time she was gapping at him.

He walked in with her shutting the door behind him, walked up to white marble dresser that was located on the west side wall and began opening up drawers, muttering to himself all the while.

He abandoned the dresser and looked around the room. He went to the bed and looked under it still muttering, but more hurriedly this time. Sakura just stared at him strangely. He jumped up and looked around the room once more, running a hand through his blond hair. The disorder that he caused didn't affect his looks, if anything it enhanced them, giving him a cute ruffled look that went well with his annoyed expression.

Sakura gave a little smile.

"Ah!" He rushed past her to get to the sliding doors of the closet and shoved one of the doors aside and rummaged though the closet, half of him out of the closet and the other half hidden within the deep dark confines of the closet.

At the sight Sakura's lips threatened to curve into an even bigger smile, twitching every so often.

"Arrmmm." Deidara straightened up, tugging at something in the closet, frustrated with the resistance that it was giving him. Tugging harder, Sakura heard a snap and Deidara straightened, holding a black and red piece of clothing in his hand. A broken hanger slipped out of the cloth and landed on the floor with a clinking sound. Sakura and Deidara both stared at it as if they had no clue on earth what the object was. Deidara was the first to shrug it off and looked up at her and held out the cloth, causing Sakura to catch the movement from the corner of her eye and turn her head fully to look at him.

Narrowing her eyes, Sakura studied the cloth, immediately suspicious of anything he offered her. He wanted her to put it on. Why would she? He kidnapped her, tried to blow her up, locked her in a dark room, slammed her head against a dirty, bloody floor _twice_, put a collar around her neck, punched her in the face, and made nasty comments at her. And now suddenly she was going to bow before him and make his life easy?

Hell no.

Sakura smirked and folded her arms tightly. He was going to have to struggle to make her obey him and his stupid laws.

Realizing that she wouldn't take the cloth from his hands he sighed and tossed it onto of her head, covering her vision and tangling her arms in the fabric.

By the time she had won her struggle against the cloth he was already at the door. He looked back just as her head was peeking out of the cloth. He's leaving? Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

"Put that on correctly. And don't leave your room without it. Something bad might happen to you if you don't wear it. Yea."

Deidara studied her face, seeing defiance and rage. He didn't really expect anything less.

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Your funeral, if you don't listen. Yea."

He shut the door quietly behind him, not showing any rage at her defiance. Sakura waited until the sound of his foot steps had receded before she began her inspection of her surroundings.

The wallpaper was done simply but had a rich touch to it. A plain white background with golden ivy crawling its way along the walls. The white marble dresser that Deidara had rummaged though held a mirror on top and was also trimmed with gold.

The closet that he had ravaged (**AN**: OMG!! Closet RAPE!!! 0O...sorry) was also decorated in gold. Intricate designs of flowers and landscapes decorated the sliding doors of the closet while more gold leaves curled around the door frame.

The bed was against the east wall, and was dripping lace. There were white drapes that hide the rest of the bed from view. The was another door just opposite of the bed and Sakura guessed that it was the bathroom.

The room was large and beautiful but had no windows to speak of, giving the room and ghostly, imposing air.

Sakura studied the black cloth in her hand, holding it out before her as if it would bit her.

She turned it around fully before realizing that it was inside out.

Putting it into the correct stature, Sakura couldn't help but see that that piece of clothing was in fact an Akatsuki robe. And it was just her size.

* * *

_//…So many lies swirling _

_All around you _

_You're suffocating_

_The empty shape in you _

_Steals your breathe _

_You're suffocating_

_Logic forces me to believe in this_

_And I have learned to see_

_And I can only say that I've seen and heard_

_And only you can choose_

_And every choice you make will affect you_

_Search your own self_

_Big enough to fill that void inside you_

_Just a breath away_

_Breathe…//_

-flyleaf "Breath today"_  
_

* * *

AN: Well my lovelies that would be it for today. I NEED to sleep. I'm terribly sick right now… It's how it usually gets during the winter time. 

Ohh. By the way Norwegian Dragon I know this doesn't look like what you advised me but it will eventually lead up to that.. Maybe next chap.

I have a question for you all though…Is this story getting boring? Tell me. This is a learning experience for me so the more I learn, the more I can perfect my future stories…or chapters.

Knowledge for the day: BANANAPHOBIA—The fear of bananas. (NOTE: This is a real phobia) (Why would someone be afraid of a banana? WOHHOOOO (random sound that a scary banana might make)!! I'm A BANANA I WILL EAT YOUR TOES!!)

That reminds me of my friend…When ever we watch a scary movie she hid her toes under a blanket because she's afraid that something might come out and eat her toes off. LOL.

Me I'm always afraid that there was something behind me that would take a big ol' bite out of my butt. LOL I honestly don't know why. I just think that the scary monsters are after my butt. Because there's something oddly delicious about my butt. It just needs to be eaten. Yum.


	8. Chapter 7 Tease

Disclaimer: … Must I even say it?

I got reviews almost immediately after I updated…thanks!

And I'm sorry that my fanfic is so strange…It's my first one. I'm trying as hard as I can!

I'm sorry their so short…honestly when I typed them they did seem long….It started off as 3 pages and I finally worked my way up to 7 and it still didn't seem like a lot.

I finally figured out what was screwing me up though! It's the stupid Roman font. I'm going to fix that. Also I'm going to go back and rewrite some chapters. Nothing drastic.

I'm very glad that you guys like ch.8!

Once again thank you so much for the reviews! (bows)

_Rewritten: 8/24/07_

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.9- Tease

_//…"Don't look don't look" the shadows breathe_

_Whispering me away from you_

"_Don't wake at night to watch her sleep_

_You know that you will always lose _

_This trembling _

_Adored _

_Tousled mad girl"_

_But every night I burn_

"_Oh, don't talk of love" the shadows purr_

_Murmuring me away from you_

_Every night I scream your name_

_Every night I burn_

_Every night the dream's the same _

_Every night I burn…//_

-The Cure "Burn" (Arachnid Kitty loves this song)

* * *

There was a silence, so pleasing, calming. The hours passed and the sun rose and hovered over the earth, like a great eye, watching the small creatures that lived upon the earth. 

He sat there, not moving from the spot once, the needs of his body were set aside and his mind toke over. It was all feeling, like raw power.

His mind and hand did most of the work, his hand cradling the brush in a grip that was firm but gentle. His eyes were barely aware of what his hand was doing.

The brush strokes were smooth and sure, blending the colors and creating harmony.

It was a whole new world coming to life.

The shining green eyes stared out at him from the canvas, mocking him. His hand dropped the brush on the ground and his one remaining arm swept the painting aside. He was already out the door when it hit the wall with a splat, the door slammed shut, slightly shaking from the force. He walked down the hall in long angry strides, not caring about the damage he had done the wall or the painting.

He couldn't stand the teasing, the mocking smile or the bright beautiful eyes, the smooth white skin, the soft lips. He couldn't stand having things taunted in front of him, things that he could not have.

Now that he was no longer listening intensely to his mind, he became aware of his body and the need to eat, his stomach complaining loudly at him.

Sighing he made his way down to the kitchen. Pouring a glass of water and cooking a bowl of rice for himself, when he got there, he ate so hurriedly that he barely had time to breathe. He noted absently in his mind, as he ate, that he might want to brush up on him cooking skills since the rice was a little under cooked. He didn't even bother to sit down at the table as he merely shoved the undercooked rice into him mouth.

The thinning light of the kitchen meant that the sun was setting now. He hadn't even bothered to turn the lights on, though even in the fading light, he still knew exactly where everything was place. He knew everything about this house, inside and out. Every decoration and design was his.

The light grew dimmer and his attention wandered toward the window of the kitchen. The brightly colored clouds, the pinks, reds, oranges and purples, reminded Deidara of the irritating female that had haunted his mind all day a realized that he hadn't checked up on her.

He knew she was still there; she could no longer hide herself from him, thanks to the necklace. She really had underestimated the thing. It wasn't just a simple tracking device. It had more hidden affects; after all he had created it.

Come to think of it the other members were supposed to be here by now and he hadn't seen or sensed them yet. Itachi, Kisame, Zetsu and Tobi were supposed have arrived about noon and he wouldn't like it if they came tromping through the house like a pack of elephants late at night and disturbing his sleep. He had sent Tobi to escort Zetsu to the house because he had begun to get on his nerves and Deidara had sent him away before he killed Tobi.

Besides Zetsu got along with Tobi just fine. Zetsu didn't seem the least bit annoyed with Tobi and his constant chatter.

Sighing, Deidara left his dishes sitting empty on the counter, not bothering to clean up after himself and made his way toward the hall where he had placed Sakura. Things were a bit too quiet for his taste and he needed to make sure that she wasn't doing something stupid.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" 

"Just a bloody, broken mask…and some kunai." The voice answered through the dark. The voice held the slight hint of shock, as if he had never seen such things in his life.

"Damn. I should never let her out of my sight."

"It's possible that she's alive… the Akastuki have been spotted with in the area…" This time the voice was different, having a boyish hint to the sound.

"It's more likely that she's dead. Her blood is all over the forest. If the Akatsuki were here… and they happened to stumble on her… she's dead to us anyway. We can't risk the rest for just one person. No matter how important she is…" This voice was deeper than the others, signaling it out as the leader's.

"…yes, sir."

The voices were hushed, so quiet that they could barely hear each other. It was night and each person hid within the shadows of the trees, extremely cautious about their surroundings.

"We'll go back to headquarters and report…"

There was a slight whooshing sound as the Anbu team raced back to their base, eager for the safety and shelter.

The disappearance of Haruno Sakura had them spooked.

Although once they returned to Konoha they wouldn't be very safe from the hokage's rage.

* * *

_Her mouth was dry from the nervous, desprate feeling that came from a battle that sapped all the strength from the body._

_The back of her shirt was in tatters, showing gapping wounds that couldn't seem to stop bleeding. Swear ran down her face and into her eyes and stung them. But she refused to blink. She didn't want to miss anything._

_"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was choked and rough with smoke and sorrow. "Why did you come back you bastard?"_

_Flames ate at the houses that had once been the peaceful place of her childhood. It was all going away. That little girl, who trusted and loved so easily was dying and Sakura didn't have the energy to reach out and hold on. People. Young and old, shattered on the ground, dying or dead. The vision of a woman with child being consumed by flame should have struck emotion from any kind of human but he merely glanced and there wasn't even a flicker of emotion. The smell of burning flesh was over-powering and her body wanted to gag but she refused to show him any weakness._

_And it proved just what he was. Not human. It had to be impossible for someone to be that heartless. That cruel._

_He met her eyes and they held. Her fulled with hated and disbelief, his held nothing as if he were dead._

_And then in that instant...he smiled. A smile of an innocent child. And she was struck with pure, utter horror._

* * *

Oddly, the first thing that he noticed was that she had tangled the sheets. It didn't shock him to see that she slept like a child, on her stomach with her arms wrapped around the pillow. 

Her cheeks were flushed with drowsiness but her breathing was shallow and deep as if she had been running for days. Her hands and fingers twitched.

What did shock him was that she wasn't wearing anything. Nothing at all. Nope.

And he just stood over her and blinked in shock. He defiantly wasn't expecting this.

She was sprawled across the bed, the white sheet tangled around her slim white waist, leaving her milky white back exposed. Scars decorated her back as did every other ninja, it was to be expected. One scar in particular caught his eye and his fingers hovered over it, Just barely brushing the warm creamy skin. It was a long scar, starting from her left shoulder blade and cutting across her back to the end of her right hip. The cut was puckered so he could tell that it was about two or three years old. He could also tell that it was deep; in fact if it had been any deeper she might not be here today, probably laying dead in some forest. That would have ruined his amusement. As his eyes ran down her back he also spotted a tattoo.

_Heh. Not as innocent as she seems._

It was a phrase, not something you would usually find as a tattoo written in Katakana. _'A lifetime full of love'! Ha._ Deidara shook his head. The antics of women. Jeez. He didn't know how married men put up with it.When would women learn that there was no such thing as love?

Sakura twitched and moan again in the clutches of a nightmare. Suddenly without warning, without the slightest change of her breathing pattern, Sakura's eyes flickered open and looked at him. Her eyes dull.

Deidara's hand froze still hovering over her back, still brushing her skin. But he didn't pull away.

_Oh God here comes the screaming and the insults_…He readied himself for anything, anything at all but what she said still shocked the hell out of him.

"Why? Sasuke, why?"

A breathy sob escaped and a tear slid out from the corner of her eye and onto the bed sheets. Deidara watched in horror as another one followed.

_Not that. Anything but that._

Female tears were a weakness of his. The real ones. The ones that came from a women's eyes slowly, sorrow overflowing from the heart and into the eyes. His mother cried just like that. Holding everything in until it was just too much.

As if possessed his hand wrapped around her and held her to him while she cried. It was akward and he was a bit confused by his reaction but he still let her cry on his shoulder. And her sobbing quieted and she fell back into an exhausted sleep her head resting in the crook between his shoulder and his neck, her breathing like deeper and easier than before. And every so often she would sigh.He rubbed his hand up and down her back, unconsciously comforting her. He had an understanding of what she had been through and he respected her just a little bit more. Of course that didn't mean that he wouldn't stop being cruel to her. He had his goals. It was either Sakura or him. He would always choose himself.

Sakura had started to slowly wake up as her brain became more active but the hand that stroked up and down her back gave her a false sense of security.

Deidara didn't know what to do. He had a naked female sleeping on top of him and for once in his life he found it hard to control himself. Taking a deep breath he eased her back onto the bed, careful of waking her up. After she was on the bed, he wrapped her in the light sheet. His movements awkward because of his one arm.

He walked quietly to the door and left through not even glancing back.

* * *

"Yo." Just as Deidara had predicted, Kisame and Tobi had come stomping in like a herd of elephants. Which pissed him. Thus caused the strangling of Tobi. 

"But sempai-glk! Zetsu-san and Tobi were-quiet!--rek" Tobi said the best he could.

"Quiet my ass. Yea!" the strangled hold began to tighten. He may only have one arm but he still had the upper hand.

"GAK! Help Zetsu-san!"

Zetsu answered the plea from a dark corner.

"I did warn you Tobi."

Kisame cackled a the show. He just loved violence of any sort.

Itachi watched emotionlessly.

"I heard that you got a medic.." Zetsu interjected.

Deidara looked up. Suddenly becoming serious while still strangling Tobi.

"Yea. She's a pain in the ass. Yea"

"glk!"

Itachi decided to join in the chat.

"Have you even told her about the leader's plan for her?"

Deidara shook his head.

"Glk!"

"Hm." Itachi was being pretty talkative today.

"GLK!!!"

"Uh..Deidara? You might want to let go of Tobi…" Zetsu interjected again from his dark corner

"Huh." Deidara dropped Tobi immediately. Tobi twitched on the floor like a worm, making grunting noises and then began talking immediately after he regained his voice.

"Uhhggghk…Why are you so mean to Tobi, sempai?!" Though no one could see Tobi's face, he was most likely cry tears of misery.

Kisame was still cackling evilly in the background.

"Oh, shut the hell up all of you! Yea." Deidara exited the room, heading back to his rooms.

"Deidara-sempai is madder than usual today…"

"Hm…"

* * *

Sakura crept through the house, trying to find her way out. She had heard a slight murmur of voices down the hall to her left and had veered away, quickly and quietly, from the direction. 

It wouldn't do her any good if she got caught now.

She had spent an hour starring at the paintings of hall way, while she tried making up a plan to escape…again. Eventually one of the hallways must lead to the outside and she was going to find it no matter what.

The golden lettering on the wall outside the hall made her pause the longest and she kick herself for letting her mind get off subject. She knew it was a fairytale, and seemed oddly fimiliar but she couldn't quite place where she had seen or heard if it, which is why it was nagging at the back of her mind. _What kind of Akatsuki member paints fairytales on a wall?_

Having searched through the whole hallway and all the rooms she didn't find a door or window that led outside. In fact there where no windows period.

Somehow having no windows, no view of the outside world, disturbed her more than anything.

Wearing the Akatsuki cloak over her other clothes would have been smart was also a thought, as she crept through the hallways and down the staircases and cursed her pride in upholding her ninja pureness . She held her shoes in her hands, walking barefoot to make sure that her footfalls were perfectly silent.

She would get out of here no matter what. No matter how many times she failed she would never give up.

* * *

_// …Truly thought I could make it right_

_If I kissed you one more time to _

_Help you face the nightmare_

_But you're far too poisoned for me_

_Sleeping Beauty _

_Poisoned and Hopeless_

_You're far beyond a visible sign of you awakening_

_Failing miserably to find a way to comfort you_

_Far beyond a visible sign of you awakening_

_And hiding from some poisoned memory_

_Poisoned and Hopeless_

_Sleeping Beauty…//_

-A perfect Circle "Sleeping Beauty"

* * *

AN: Hah! Beat that! 6 pages in Verdana size 9. That's the most I've ever written…I think. 

Sorry about taking so long. It kinda wasn't my fault either. First my floppy ate the story and I had to retype it but then we got hit by a big storm and the power went out. (Curses God)

I was actually at school when the storm hit. My school is by the river so we got hit the worst. The wind was blowing so hard against the doors I thought the school had locked them. Turns out that I just needed to throw all my weight against the door to get it to open. I barely got them open (I'm only about 109lb). When I got out the wind threw me against the doors. While this was all happening my brother was inside the car, laughing at my misery.

I'll get him back one of these days.

Anyhow thank you all for reviewing. I'm kinda disconnected from the internet right now so I can't see who reviewed I'll just give you all a Great BIG thank you and …Cookies! (Pelts crowd with cookies) hahaha! This is fun! (Chucks more cookies at crowd)(Gets chased by the angry mob)

And by the way! ZETSU-SAMA is here!! (Squeals like a crazy fan girl on crack and sugar pills) ahaha…I'm a huge Zetsu fan. He's my favorite because he's absolutely insane. And he's a giant fly trap. Though Deidara's my second. Basically I'm an Akatsuki whore. I really want to know about the un-named Akatsuki though. People are going around and saying that it's a girl. I really hope so…She would totally be kick ass.


	9. Chapter 8 Sweet tooth

Damn you Kishimoto! Give me back my life!

I'm Back!!! Sorry I toke so long. I've been going in an out of depression. This year isn't a very good year for me. And finals got me just as I was getting back to writing this so that delayed the story also.

Anyway I wanted to thank all of you for being really supportive. I know I shouldn't have let that one review get to me but…well all the bad things build up on me and sometimes I can't take it. That review was kinda the last straw.

But all your reviews (and my friend's help) helped me feel a lot better. I really glad you guys didn't think I was pathetic for the little melt down. I feel happier now.

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.10- Sweet Tooth

_//…I'm not afraid of standing still_

_I'm just afraid of being bored_

_I'm not afraid of speaking my mind_

_I'm just afraid of being ignored_

_I'm not afraid of feeling _

_And I'm not afraid of trying_

_I'm just afraid of losing_

_And I am just afraid of dying_

_I'm not afraid of being sick_

_I'm more afraid of being well_

_I'm not afraid _

_Put the gun in my hand_

_I'm just afraid that it will hurt like hell_

_I'm not afraid of screaming_

_And I'm not afraid of crying_

_I'm just afraid of forgetting _

_And I am just afraid of dying…//_

-"Fear of Dying" Jack off Jill

* * *

He woke up in the worst mood possible after only sleeping for three hours. Not only had Tobi bugged him all night but that stupid medic nin had been running all over his house. 

And she thought that he wouldn't know. She hid her chakra well, he'd give her that, but it didn't keep him from pinpointing the presence.

Maybe he should just kill her. It would put both of them out of their miseries. Not only that but when she wasn't up to some kind of trouble she was constantly plaguing his mind with her flowery sent and bright eyes.

Sighing he gave up any hope of extra sleep and rose from his bed. He didn't need to bother dressing since he had slept in his clothes. Though this wasn't something he would normally do.

He left his room, his robe fluttering behind him like black wings.

* * *

She was about to give up and just lay down and die. She had been through the same hallway five times, the intricate designs silently mocked her every time she saw them. She saw them again she would scratch them out with her nails. _How's that for irritated?_

She was tired and hungry and Deidara appeared before her and offered her food and a warm bed she would kiss him. And then throw things and scream at him for make such a terrible confusing house.

Sakura slumped, sliding down the wall until her bottom touched the floor. She ran one of her hand through her hair in frustration.

_I don't understand. I've been searching this house for hours and I still can't find one single window. Not one!_

She couldn't even find that room that she first woke up in. That was the only window that she had ever seen in the house besides the kitchen window. She didn't feel like jumping through the kitchen window just to plunge off a cliff.

"Hello!" an oddly familiar and cheerful voice called from behind her making her spin around quickly, frustration and exhaustion forgotten momentarily, replaced by fear and an animalistic defense.

About a yard away from her Tobi stood and waved to her, his hair standing out at odd angles as if he had rubbed his head on a balloon and had created static.

"What are…?" Sakura hadn't seen another human being except for Deidara in what seemed like a year, it toke her mind a minute to process that someone else was actually there and it wasn't some delusion.

As her mind processed Tobi had made his way quickly to her, all but wagging his tail.

She blinked and there he was. Right in front of her.

He cocked his head the side.

"What cha' doing on the floor?"

"I'm tired." Sakura replied in a flat voice, as if it was obvious why she was sitting on the floor.

"Oh." Tobi sat down in front of her with a plop and scratched the back of his head messing up his hair even more. "Tobi is tired too. He had to sleep all night…"

_Poor you._

"Uh huh…" Sakura said with a raised an eyebrow and then stifled a yawn.

"And hungry." Tobi added this after a five second pause.

_Hmmm food._

Her stomach didn't care about her pride, didn't care about her need to escape, to go home. It just wanted her to eat some food. Good delicious food. And complained loudly at her for ignoring it's needs.

There was a pause and Tobi stared at her for a few seconds then launched himself up, grabbing her wrist and began dragging her down the hallway with him, Sakura still in a sitting position.

"Hey-what the fuck are you doing?!" She complained at him loudly, trying to retching her hand from his tight grasp.

"Isn't Sakura-chan hungry?" he said sounding like a confused little boy.

"Sure I am! Where were you trying to drag me?!" She was yelling at him but she didn't care. She wasn't in the mood to play nice. She was too cranky for her own good.

"Tobi was going to get Muumuu-san to cook breakfast! Her pancakes are yummy!" Tobi danced back and forth on the balls of his feet like an impatient little boy.

"Come on! Come on!"

_Poisoned food?...You know I don't even care anymore. And who the hell is Muumuu? And what kind of name is that?_

"Okay…" Sakura heaved herself up into a standing position, brushed off her bottom and motioned with her hand for Tobi to lead the way.

* * *

"…what did you say?" the tone was quiet, not at all like the usual loud manner of the Hokage. 

That's how they knew that they were in trouble. Chin deep in trouble and sinking.

The ANBU leader, as courageous as he was, was sweating bullets and there was a slight panicked look in his eyes.

The way she was staring at him with those chocolate brown eyes was nothing short of a predator watching it prey. Waiting for the wrong move.

"Uh.." He didn't want to say it again. He didn't want to die.

"hmm?" Lady Hokage made a sound. Encouraging him to go on. She propped her head on her hand, her elbow supporting the weight of her head, and smiled sweetly at him and he shuddered. It was even more terrifying than the glare and the quiet tone put together.

His breath shuddered out, his hands shaking slightly, gathered up every ounce of his courage and spoke again. Trying not to choke on his fear.

"Sakura Haruno is missing. We believe that she might be dead or captured by the enemy."

They all waited. Death was coming and she had chocolate brown eyes, blonde hair, and the biggest breasts know to man.

Her smile widened. "I thought that's what you said." Still smiling, she made a 'come hither' motion with her finger. As he obeyed and crept closer, finally stopping at the front of her desk, her hand shot out and grabbed the front of his shirt and stood up, lifting him up with her. Her anger snapping the mask of smiles that she had been wearing.

"SO YOU LEFT HER OUT THERE?!" She shook him like a dog, the rest of his team standing in shock not even coming to their leader's defense, everyone knew Hokage had a bad temper but she never manhandled anyone. He protested of course, saying that it was highly unlikely that Sakura was alive but he was drowned out by her voice.

"WHY ARE YOU EVEN ANBU CAPTAIN?! A TODDLER COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB! IS THE SIMPLE TASK OF LOOKING AFTER SOMEONE TOO MUCH FOR YOU?!" Dropping him on the floor, she turned angrily toward the remaining group of ANBU, who all backed up a step…or three.

"AND WHAT ABOUT YOU ALL?! CAN'T YOU EVEN SEARCH FOR ONE MISSING PERSON?! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STILL WEARING THE LEAF HEADBAND?! HOW DID YOU BRAINLESS IDIOTS EVEN GET TO BE A NIN?! YOU HAVE THE COMMON SENSE OF A NEW BORN BABY!"

Resisting the urge to kill them all, she picked up her chair and tossed it through the window, which landed with a crash outside of the building, narrowly missing two elderly ladies and their orange cat with a crooked tail. Startled one old lady jumped back and yelled 'FUCK!' causing the man across the street, who was tiredly sipping his coffee, to spew his beverage onto a slim black haired woman in front of him, who in turn, punched the man in the face. The black haired woman's children cheered at the sight, it wasn't often that you saw your mother punch someone's lights out.

She turn back to the ANBU team, who had all but wet themselves and were currently trying to melt into the wall. They could take on S-class criminals, poisonous snakes or other reptiles, abnormally huge creatures and demons but the sight of female fury, particularly the Hokage's, was just too much.

"GET OUT!!"

Everyone scrambled through the door and stumbled down the hall in a panic nearly running over Shizune and another young woman.

"It's one of those days." Shizune said as she shook her head.

"Shizune!" Tsunade's voice called from with in the office.

"Coming!"

* * *

Muumuu-san turned out to be a slim attractive dark haired, dark skinned, dark eyed girl who looked about in her mid-twenties with sparkling white teeth and a wide smile. It was as if she didn't know she was living with some of the most wanted men of the continent. 

Muumuu playfully tried to kick Tobi as he had walked into the room with his request, Sakura in tow.

Tobi ducked and covered but Sakura who was currently lost in her thoughts didn't even notice and took the blow full in the face and fell to the floor covering her face. Things hurt more when you aren't prepared for the pain.

_Ow…._

"Eek! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Muumuu's cheeks turned a pinkish brown from embarrassment.

"Muumuu-san! You're really abusive! Treating poor Sakura-chan like that! Tobi is ashamed of you! " Tobi foraged shock and embarassment.

"Shut UP!" Muumuu snapped at him, her emotions switching from shy embarrassment to slight anger in a matter of seconds. "It's your fault for dodging! If you hadn't moved she wouldn't have gotten hit!"

"But! But...!" Tobi only stuttered, not knowing how to defend himself against her onslaught.

Sakura rubbed her cheek as if it would take the pain of the blow away. "uh…"

Ignoring Sakura, unintentionally, they continued to argue.

"Besides what could you possible want to bug me for _now_? Can't you give me a minute of peace and quiet?!"

"But I'm hungry!"

"_Again?!_ You ate an hour ago!"

"But that wasn't breakfast that was a snack! Tobi wants more food!"

"You ate five bowls of fried eggs Tobi! How bottomless is your stomach?!"

As if on cue, and in union, both Sakura's and Tobi's stomach let out a large growl.

Muumuu sighed, throwing her hands up in defeat.

"Fine! What do you want?"

"Pancakes!! Tobi must have pancakes!"

"I didn't ask you!"

Both gazes locked steadily onto Sakura, who merely shrugged.

"Which kind?" Muumuu asked Tobi in a frustrated voice.

"Your kind!" Tobi said instantly hopping from one foot to the other.

Muumuu sighed again.

"Sit down both of you. And if you get in my way Tobi I swear you'll have a phobia of kitchen appliances by the time I'm done with you!" Muumuu glared at Tobi as if to prove her point.

Tobi obeyed quickly not wanting to enrage her more than she already was.

Sakura followed suit but slower, seating her self down she noticed that the kitchen was a different on for the one she had eaten in before.

Bright red seat cushions toke the place of the chairs, low traditional Japanese table and the rest of the room was covered in earthy colors to contribute to the theme.

Cream and gold paper were spread across the walls, designs of graceful swans and golden lined clouds graced the paper.

Muumuu of course didn't seem to care for the delicate designs, grumbling under her breath and slopping goopy pancake mix on the walls and counters.

"Watch it Muumuu-tan or Deidara will have your head for dirtying his master piece of a house." A new deep slightly husky voice called from the doorway.

Everyone's head swerved around to see the new comer.

"Hidan-sempai!"

"Hidan you aren't supposed to be here! What about the mission you were supposed to be on? Besides Deidara's going to have a fit…you remember what happened last time?"

The man standing in the doorway waved his hand dismissing the words that Muumuu and Tobi were throwing at him and his sight zeroed in on Sakura, who stood out like a candle in a dark room.

"Don't tell me Deidara also got some companion." He said, staring pointedly at Sakura, ignoring Muumuu and Tobi. The way he said 'companion' sounded dirty and everyone got that he was implying something entirely different.

Tobi made a sound as if to answer but Sakura beat him to it, feeling as if she needed to protect herself.

"I am NOT a companion of any sort. I choose better company than a bunch of whining temperamental idiots who don't know how to fit into society. Yes! I see how powerful you all are! Picking on people weaker than you! Pathetic."

It was so quiet for that moment that you could hear a pin drop and the sound of have sent echoes, Hidan just looked at her through his purple eyes.

"You're lucky you're cute, otherwise I would have to sliced you to pieces and offered you to Jashin." (AN: Jashin is Hidan's God just so you know)

"No human sacrifice in the house!" Muumuu shook the spatula at Hidan slopping pancake gunk at him.

"Hey I said I wasn't going to!" Hidan flinched away from the flying pancake globs.

* * *

She slept on the table at an awkward angle and he knew that she would probably have a crick in her neck when she woke. _Good._

Deidara watched her from the doorway and couldn't seem to make himself wake her.

Everyone else had left the room, not even bothering to clean up the mess they had made, which would cause him to go on a parade of exploding people but right now he couldn't really focus his anger.

Irritation replaced the anger, more directed at himself and the pink hair woman that slept on his table.

He had watched her eat with Tobi and Hidan, who reluctantly joined them. She had liked the foreign food and had exclaimed at the surprisingly strong sweetness.

In his opinion she ate too much for such a small woman.

At one point during their feast she had laughed at one of Tobi's antics and for the first time he found himself jealous of Tobi. And he didn't even know why.

He was irritated with himself for want to touch and feel her. He just wanted his arm back.

But he also wanted to run his hands through her pink hair to see if it felt as silky as it looked and feel her skin and breath in her scent.

Without realizing what he was doing he step toward her until his cloak brushed against her.

Kneeling down he came nose-to-nose with Sakura, who sensing the nearness opened her eyes drowsily and focused on his face.

Her face was flushed with sleep making her even more tempting.

She didn't flinch and she didn't blink at his closeness.

He had to admire the sheer nerve. It was so rare to see such a thing in a woman.

His hand came back to her face but this time it was a gentle caress, sliding his knuckles along her cheek bones. He grinned mischievously.

His hand cupped the back of her neck, his lips hovering a breath away from hers.

Sakura cursed. "Don't you dare."

"Too late…" were his last words before his lips came crashing down on hers. They brushed over hers in a gentle touch and paused for a second and then descended.

He didn't know why she didn't cringe. Wasn't this scaring her?

But she didn't even fight, all she did was stare defiantly into his eyes with those piercing shards of bright green glass.

A dark primitive thrill shot through him. He loved a challenge.

His lips posited against hers, hot and demanding. His hand curved at the back of her neck. He

felt a little awkward with out the use of his arm but he had to make do.

She responded, her sweet strawberry colored lips opening to his and instantly his mind went blank and he forgot who he was and what he _should_ be doing.

His hand moved from her nape to run along her back and finally coming around the front of her so that his fingers brushed up against the underside of her breast.

As if waking suddenly, she bite down on his bottom lip, drawing blood. Her hand came up to his face and she ran her nails down the side of his face.

Jerking back, his mind slow began functioning again, the hazy cloud clearing from his mind.

Both of them panting and glaring at each other.

Sakura looked at his bleeding, bruised lip and foraged concern.

"Oh. You're bleeding. Here let me kiss it and make it better."

Deidara jerked back as she lend forward. He didn't want to be bit a second time.

His hand came up and touched his lip and withdrew it and looked at the blood that was smeared on his fingertips.

"Damn it."

"Pig." She swiped at him with her claws again. "Pervert." Another swing of her fist. "Imbecile."

Her reaches fell short, unable to harm him.

Deidara sent her a murderous glare and strode out of the room. Possibly to patch up his wounded pride.

* * *

Sakura breathed heavily. Her hands twitching with panic. 

_Crap. Crap. Crap!_

She covered her eyes with her hand. _I've really lost my mind!_

She didn't fight him. Nor was she disgusted or even slightly sickened by the thought that he had kissed her.

Nope. She had actually enjoyed it. _Pathetic_

She gave a shuddering breath.

She had let him kiss her. And she wanted him to.

Maybe she really was poisoned.

* * *

_//…you in your shell. _

_Are you waiting for someone to rescue you from yourself?_

_Don't be disappointed when no one comes_

_Don't blame me. You don't get it_

_I already told you, that falling is easy it's getting up that becomes the problem_

_If you don't believe that you can find a way out you become the problem_

_You all alone, are you waiting for someone to make you whole?_

_Can't you see? Aren't you tired of this dysfunctional routine?...//_

-"Falling" Staind

* * *

_Aggh._ I'm sorry. I toke a really long time and I don't even think that the chapter is that good. I'll try to make the next one better. 

And honestly I don't mind anymore if I get flames. So feel free to yell at me.

Also have you noticed that Sakura seems like a dominatrix? Lol I can just see her in tight black leather …with a whip. Oh god.

I know Arachnid Kitty is going to make something weird out of this so I feel awkward. She likes making fun of me.


	10. Chapter 9 For that which is lost

Disclaimer: Sorry but the disclaimer seems to be broken. Please try again later!

**AN: Btw. If you didn't read ch.10 Go and read it. I replaced the note with it. (Just in case no one knew) Also I'd like to thank those of you who were really supportive again. Thank you. It really means a lot and shows me that the world isn't filled with assholes that only care about themselves.**

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.11- For that which is lost

_//…Yes, give me back all those I loved, the unchanging, the rotting, and the dying ones._

_Yes, those being given birth to, those giving birth, those who sin_

_Human suffering begins from this time_

_The faces of those who are dying seem so happy_

_The faces of those being born seem so sad_

_Bye Bye Mother_

_People in this society, building nothing_

_People of this society hurt each other, unknowingly_

_I am alone…//_

-"Embryo" (lyrics single) Dir en Grey

* * *

Deidara dreamt. His dreams were never pleasant. Filled with the stench of blood and pain. Something he would never escape. 

_A small girl stood beneath a willow, its twisted branches heavy with the weeping leaves that hung from them. The wind rustled about them, sending them dancing and entwining together also rustling the girl red silk kimono. _

_She quietly stared out over the grassy plain watching a bloody battle, a delicate hand resting on her bright hair so it didn't fly into her face. The plain was uninteresting, just splashes of color that didn't seem to fit with nature, like some mad painter had carelessly splattered paint onto his canvas._

_Deidara dreamt he was here. Once again stuck in the body of a twelve year old fighting for his life. His eyes turned to the ghostly figure in red standing above the battle field as the one remaining enemy fell to the ground at his feet, dead. The sun lay just behind the willow, distorting the girl's face and turning the weeping leaves of the willow into molten fire._

_Twelve year old Deidara flinched away, expecting another fight perhaps. _

_He wasn't hit as he expected and moved a little closer. Something seemed familiar about the figure. Something…_

_He wasn't sure what was so interesting about the girl but he had to find out what was so familiar. _

_A voice in his head echoed, "No". It was so strong he thought she had screamed it at him. His stomach churned a warning. _

_Something wasn't right. In fact, something was very, very wrong. He would almost say he was afraid, if he didn't know any better. Cautious he was; fearful he wasn't. Nope Deidara was never afraid. He gripped tightly on the kunai that he positioned at his thigh. Never._

_She didn't even look at him as he approached, staring off at the still wet blood the coated the grass. Her white-blonde hair waving through the air._

_It wasn't until he blocked her view of the plain that the girl jerked as if she'd been slapped. Slowly the wind died down and he was close enough to clearly see her smiling. "Dei-chan." she said, her voice almost too quiet, too soft._

_Deidara staggered backwards, stumbling over a rock, nearly falling. His eyes widened into an unbelieving stare. He gazed in horror at the smiling face. This wasn't possible. Not possible!_

_Puzzled, the girl cocked her head curiously to one side and her lips still smiling at him gently. Her white fire hair fell in tangles as she gazed down at him with a strange sort of happiness._

_The girl shifted toward him slightly and a cold chill ran up his spine and spread throughout his body. This was some trick it had to be. His mind was playing tricks._

_He shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear his vision. This wasn't possible. They were all dead. Long dead and buried with the worms. He'd watched them die, a spark of anger curled like a newborn flame gasping for air._

_"You're dead, yea." Deidara gripped so hard on his kunai his knuckles ached, his breath heavy with anger, his teeth clenched._

_The petite girl's smile deepened and she moved a step closer to him, casing him to stiffen. "I've been so worried. I'm glad you're all right." She didn't even acknowledge his comment. _

_"Worried? Yea." Deidara repeated, frowning at her. Hearing her voice caused his heart of constrict and an uncomfortable tightness settled in his chest. He wanted to believe that she was alive again. He wanted that peaceful life back. But wasn't this impossible?_

_She laughed and did a semi twirl, her kimono swirling about her ankles. "Yes! It's been so long, I was afraid that me and Mother would forget what you looked like!" she said._

_Deidara stiffened. "Mot…Mother," he whispered, glancing around. Confusion gave birth to another surge of anger and he backed away for the Pretender. "How dare you pretend that my mother is alive? She died two years ago, you stupid whore, yea." he snapped at her._

_The Pretender laughed again and moved closer. Deidara felt ill at the sugary cheerfulness of her voice, especially when they were talking about something so taboo. "Don't be silly." she said. "She's alive and well."_

_Deidara shivered. Part of him screamed at him to strike the Pretender down, but his hand trembled and he couldn't seem to raise it. _

_"Ai," he heard himself say in a cracked voice, though the girl seemed not to notice._

_Her name was painful upon his lips. Images of desperation and feelings of pain threatened to eat away the fibers that held him together and for one of the few times in his life, Deidara felt afraid. It wasn't possible._

_"There! See, big brother?"_

_Her voice caused Deidara to jump. Her smile was twisted; almost crazed as she pointed behind him, cause him to whip around quickly._

_Deidara felt his heart stop beating. In that moment he believed himself dead. In hell._

_A strange, wounded noise crept from the back of his throat and threatened to escape him as he gazed upon the eyeless sockets of what appeared to be his deceased mother. _

_The head lolled to one side and patches of brittle, dirty white-blonde hair clung to leathery pieces of the remaining scalp. Maggots writhed about the empty eyes and from the corners of a lipless mouth. What frightened him the most was the disgusting-sweet smile that appeared on the corpse's lips as if greeting him. She bent slightly, what was left of her leg dragging behind her. Yet eerily he could still see some part of the beautiful radiance of his once very alive mother._

_Ai frowned and cocked her white head when Deidara balked. "What's the matter, big brother? Are we so ugly you can't stand to look at us anymore? Don't you think that Mama is pretty?"_

_"Stop," Deidara whispered, closing his eyes. He reminded himself it wasn't real. Over and over he repeated it through his head. _

_Ai's emotions changed quickly like they always did when she was alive._

_. "Oh, that's right," she sneered. "Big brother is too mighty to be bothered with nuisances such as us. We're less than shit! That's why you let us die." The quiet voice changed and distorted and her face contorted showing clearly deranged hatred and loathing. _

_"Shut up," Deidara whispered. It was all making him sick to his stomach_

_"You were off somewhere while I was murdered. You never arrived in time to save me... Did you like seeing my blood stain the floor red, Dei-chan?" An ugly sneer stained her pretty face. The once affectionate nickname turned into a cruel stabbing word._

_"Shut up, yea." Deidara's voice trembled. "You aren't real."_

_'Mother' dropped to the ground, rotting into the bloody ground._

_"Now look at what you did. You've upset Mother. But then again you don't really care do you? You don't care for anyone but yourself. You're glad that we rot."_

_"SHUT UP," Deidara yelled, unleashing the rage inside him that had built up and finally exploded. His hand that held the kunai rose up struck at the pretend Ai. She had no time to move, no time to run or even scream. Blood flew from her gapping neck as he sliced her throat, bright red mixing with the rest of gory battle field. _

_Deidara watched with an outraged expression as Ai's body fell to the ground. He wasn't sure how he felt about what he'd just done, but something inside him died. He turned to leave. He wasn't sure were he would go but any place had to be better than here._

_"Shut up, Shut up, Shut up. Is that all you can say?"_

_The dark chuckle stopped Deidara's retreat. He looked over his shoulder at the smirking face of Ai, lying in a heap of sparkling bone and gore. "Killing your own little sister. All I ever did was love you."_

_A shudder went through his body. _

_"I'll make sure you rot in hell with me."_

_Seemingly before his eyes her face, splattered with bloody gore, changed to that soft face that he remembered fondly and his stomach lurched. He really couldn't stand to watch. To him this was hell._

_"Mother and I miss you Dei-chan."_

* * *

Deidara crouched in the garden outside, staring at the pond, the bright orange fish dipping in and out through the weeds. The day was bright, the sun high and he felt the burning of the rays on his Akatsuki cloak. 

The large oak that he had planted when he was only ten loomed over him as he stared thoughtfully at the pond. Not really seeing what was before his eyes.

_She _came to haunt him again. Almost every night. Sometime he just liked to stay awake just so he didn't have to see her again. _Were these dreams coming to him because he was responsible? Did his sister really blame him? _He furrowed his brow in concentration.

"You look like a geezer with the fucking scowl on your face."

The voice brought Deidara's mind spiraling back to the present and Deidara's shoulders twitched in recognition, but he didn't move from his position.

"But you always look sleazy rat. Yea." Deidara replied. He just wasn't in the mood to entertain idiots.

"Fuck you Dei-chan."

Unknowing that the nickname had just but Deidara in the worst mood that he could possible be in at the moment, Hidan bite deeply into the shiny yellow apple that he had taken from the orchard, crunching loudly, disrupting the quiet that Deidara had come for. He had walked all the way to the back of the house- _if you could call it a house_- just to get it.

He had to get the taste of blood out of his mouth. He was fine with it for awhile but after that he'd gotten bored of the taste. There was only so much blood that you could take before it begins to feel like you've been constantly chewing on a kunai.

"Go play with your with your false god. Yea." Deidara was most defiantly not in the mood for idiots.

There was a pause as Hidan chewed on his apple. Crunching loudly on his apple, he swallowed huge pieces and almost choked. Luckily as smooth as Hidan was he managed not to make a sound.

There was a twing of irratation at the accusation of his god but he let it go. For now.

"I could stab you in the back right about now." The hard part was not spewing apple bits while talking.

Deidara breath came out in an irritated sigh. _More death threats. Oh goody._ He got them twice a day. Mostly from Sakura though. She was getting bolder with her insults and it toke almost all his control not to try to strangle her.

"Why are you letting her wonder around? She's not a fucking pet you know." Leave it to Hidan to bring up a topic that he did want to talk about.

"Sakura-_chan_ will never find the exit out of the house unless I reveal it to her. Her eyes will never see what's really there. That necklace that she has on makes it that way. It's something I invented. Yea." Even if Deidara was in a foul mood he could still puff his chest out in pride.

Hidan snorted. "You make jewelry now? What's next? Designing girls dolls?"

Deidara's head turned at that and he gave Hidan a pissed off look out of his one good eye. He had in fact already done such a thing, but he wasn't going to give Hidan the pleasure of knowing it. He would never live it down.

Hidan gave a cocky smirk. He just really loved teasing Deidara. He toke another huge bite from the apple, finishing more than half of it within two bites.

"Why don't you have Kakuzu stitch it up for you?"

Deidara huffed turning back to the pond, flexing the arm that Kakuzu had worked on. Pain shot through the nerves causing him to clench his teeth. Kakuzu's way of reattaching his arm had been painful and every time he had used his newly attached arm it went through muscle spasms and he found that his arm stalled on him and wouldn't respond at times. Not only was it irritating and painful but it could cause his death. Not something he found extremely pleasing.

"Because Kakuzu sucks. Yea."

Hidan gave no arguement.

* * *

Sakura sat down on one of the lab benches after being dragged there by a certain one armed girlie man with anger management problems. His lip was quite swollen were she had bitten him and she couldn't help but smile wickedly. Part of Sakura knew that she should probably try and be good as possible and not to tempt Deidara into killing her in her sleep. BUT part of her couldn't stop herself from trying to make Deidara's life a living hell as long as he was in her presences.

The way he hunched in his chair and muttered darkly to himself was giving off heavy signals saying he was irritated or pissed off. Sakura knew better than to entice him into an argument.

Don't anger S-class criminals. That was pretty much elementary school basics.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye but he didn't really say anything, just muttering darkly to himself. If Sakura had met him on the street she would have moved to the other side. She didn't like mixing with lunatics.

He turned his full gaze to her lifting up his head, giving her a full view of his sculpted face, staring at her with those odd blue-green eyes making her heart beat quicken.

_Silly._She laughed at herself,_ there's no reason to be afraid. He may be stronger but you can still defend yourself. You aren't **that **weak._

Slowly, as he rose and made his way towards her, she realized it wasn't fear she felt. That made her heart pound. Or remember the way he kissed her in the kitchen, hot and sweet making her insides melt into mush. And she hoped to God that it would go away soon. She was slightly ashamed of herself. Acting like a cat in heat.

Sakura was trained. She was one of the most powerful ninjas in Konoha. She always had excellent control. Some could even go so far as to say that she was a control freak.

_So why was it she couldn't stop herself from looking at him every time he was near her?_

"Well? Yea." He stood expectedly obviously wait for her to do something.

_His arm, you idiot! _Her eyes locked on the empty sleeve.

"What do you expect me to replace you arm with? I can't grow another one for you." Sakura scoffed at him even in his dark clouds hanging over her threatening to strike lightning on her. "That's the most ridiculous request I've ever heard."

But it wasn't unusual. Often enough people have come into the hospital, where she worked, with missing limbs begging for someone to fix the problem. Either the limb had started decaying already or it missing. There was nothing any of them could do to help.

Instead of scoffing at him she should have just called him an idiot and got it over with.

Oddly he didn't hit her, grasp her hair and snap her neck, slam her into the floor or even try to shake her to death. She just got a dirty look and if she was any less of a female she would have slowly rotted from the inside out.

"The arm is in preservation in the freezer. Yea."

"…Will I be able to go home safely after this is done?"

Haruno Sakura was officially giving up. The Academy students that she taught every Thursday and Friday would be disappointed in their hero and Tsunade would have a heart attack. Even Sakura was disappointed in herself but there wasn't much else she could do to stay alive. And Sakura _really _wanted to stay alive. Besides in her opinion he wasn't all that strong anyways. If she and some other ANBU got him alone he would be done for. But right now she was all by herself and there was no one watch her back. All she could do right now was hope that Deidara kept his word on releasing her and that the reattachment of his arm went well.

He didn't even answer and only looked at her for a few long seconds before turn and stopping at the wall across from her. The flat plain white wall opened up and swallowed him as he went through.

Sakura didn't even show signs of surprise. She was so used to the odd going on of the so-called house by now. Hell even Muumuu pulled a red tea kettle from one of the ceilings once. Just 'pop' and it was in her hand. She wasn't even going to trying to figure out the logic of this place. It would drive her insane if it hadn't already.

Deidara hadn't answered her question which probably meant 'No promises' and it made Sakura slightly nervous and agitated. Not two emotions that mixed well. They made her fidget a lot.

He came back with a thin long glass preservation jar. Along with the arm it held a sluggish blue liquid signifying it as the preservation chemicals that protecting the arm from bacteria infection and decay. Carefully setting it in front of her he discarded his cloak and net shirt onto the seat he had been grumbling in minutes earlier. The wound on his arm was cleaner than before. She didn't winch like she did last time. But the arm was still pretty bad.

To take her mind of Deidara's torso. She turned back to the lab table and began fiddling with the jar.

"So…do you think that your lip will scar?" She said in an attempt at a pleasant conversation.

By the look that Deidara sent her the attempt didn't go over so well.

_

* * *

_

_//…Your mouth is like funeral_

_Where words go to die_

_Your mouth is like funeral_

_Where kisses go to die_

_I 'm not the girl that stopped and stared_

_I'm not the girl that lied_

_You mouth is like funeral_

_Where kisses go to die_

_This is what you want this is what you get_

_This is what you got_

_This is what you want this is what you get_

_This is what you get from me_

_Your mouth is like an open sore_

_Where words blister and die_

_Your mouth is like an open sore_

_Where kisses rot and die…//_

-"Clear Hearts, Grey Flowers" Jack off Jill

* * *

Alright. Sorry I toke so long once again.( And the thing isn't even that long. lol)I got really sick a week ago and my teachers crapped out a bunch of essays that I had to do. It seems like a lot of people are getting sick around Feb. –Apr. It's like the plague, man. 

We're all gonna die. WHOOT!

Let's all hope I get the next one out sooner.


	11. Chapter 10 Poisoned hearts

Disclaimer: Please stop making me repeat myself.

Yeah. Yeah. I know. You all want to throw a bunch of stones at me. Half of the wait wasn't my fault just so you know.

Thank you to all that reviewed.

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch. 12- Poisoned hearts

_//…If only you'd never speak to me_

_The way that you do_

_If only you'd never speak like that_

_It's like listening to_

_A breaking heart_

_A falling sky_

_Fire go and friendship die_

_I wish you felt the way that I still do_

_The way that I still do_

_If only you'd never look at me _

_They way that you do_

_If only you'd never look like that_

_When I look at you_

_I see a face like stone_

_Eyes of ice_

_Mouth so sweetly telling lies_

_I wish you felt the way that I still do_

_The way that I still do_

_But you don't_

_You don't feel anymore_

_You don't care anymore_

_It's all gone…//_

-"Cut" The Cure

* * *

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!" 

Murmuring came from with in the Hokage's office, trying to soothe the enraged woman with in.

"I DON'T NEED A DAMN DRINK OF TEA AND I'M PERFECTLY CALM THANK YOU! WHERE THE HELL IS THAT LAZY-ASSED BRAT?! WHY AREN'T THERE ANY PRODUCTIVE NINJA'S IN THIS VILLAGE?! WHY MUST I BE CURSED THIS WAY?! WHY?!"

More murmuring, this time with an edge of panic. Panic was understandable when it came to the Hokage. She was the worst tempered woman Shikamaru had ever met. That included his mother. And his mother was scary when she was angry (which was most of the time). With a big fat hairy S. But Tsunade somehow managed to beat her.

By the sound of the Hokage's yells she was just getting started. Probably in a panic because her star pupil was missing. And she couldn't seem to find any trace of Sakura no matter what she did. She began taking out her rage and frustration on all of Konoha. It was worse that the Nine-tales and Orochimaru put together. Most people just hid in there houses these days.

Shikamaru wanted nothing to do with Hokage at the moment or in fact at any moment, he just wanted to be left alone. But duty calls. And since he happened to be the "LAZY-ASSED BRAT" she was screeching about he figured that she wanted him at her desk pronto.

So he just walked right in, with out bothering to knock.

…and wished he hadn't. Tsunade was choking the living day lights out of Kakashi, who wasn't even slightly alarmed that he was about to die and was in fact trying to read his little orange book. Naruto, Kiba, Neji and Sai stood quietly in the corner, trying not to breathe, so they didn't attract her wrath. Naruto was turning a nice shade of blue.

Her desk was a mass of wooden splinters and he could only guess that she drop kicked it a couple hundred times.

"Yo." As smart as Shikamaru was he still did some pretty stupid things. It was insanely stupid of him.

"YOU!"

Shikamaru looked behind him, then back to Tsunade. "Me." He was slouching and had a sleepy lazy eyed look on his face. To an adult who was your superior it was like waving a big flag saying "Abuse me :-D"

"YOU DARE YOU SHOW UP **NOW**?! IT'S BEEN FIVE HOURS! EVEN KAKASHI ARRIVED BEFORE YOU DID!" Kakashi waved from his spot on the floor for emphases. Shika half-waved back, not feeling like putting too much effort into it.

"My mother died and I had to go to the funeral." Apparently Kakashi horrible gift for _really_ bad excuses for being late lived on through every generation.

Shika watched with lazy eyes as Tsunade struggled not to blow up.

Kiba began humming 'Ding Dong the Witch is dead' unmindful of Tsunade's building anger.

Tsunade fist were clenched and shaking with a rage that was threatening to boil over.

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!"

Tsunade sighed. Her volcanic rage cooled and she became abruptly serious. Suddenly she seemed older exhaustion showing clearly on her face. She put her fingers to her temples as if to ward off a headache.

"You all probably know why I called you here."

* * *

Sakura supposed that it toke a lot of trust to allow the supposed enemy close enough to get a good jab in, maybe even kill the foolishly trusting person. Sakura was betting on stupidity. If it had been her she would have sliced the enemies head off. But Deidara wasn't Sakura, nor did he think like Sakura. He lounged in the chair while she inspected him and toke notes. He had a brooding look on his face and didn't really pay attention to Sakura. Or at least she thought so. 

He didn't stiffen under her touch when she moved to feel his scared shoulder. In fact, she wasn't mistaken, he leaned in when she used a bit of her chakra to feel the inside, exploring the muscle tissue, repairing as much as she could at this time. It was ever so slightly so she probably just imagined it.

"What made you change your mind? Yea." Apparently he was analyzing her. Again.

He kept nit-picking her and her actions. And she was doing her best to ignore him. Which wasn't the easiest thing to do.

"I just want to go home." Simple answer.

Too bad Deidara didn't believe in simple answers. He was too well trained for that.

"But I thought that you didn't want to betray your village. Yea."

Sakura gave Deidara a dark smirk while her hands still remained on his arm, soothing knitted muscles and taking away pain.

"Alone Konoha ninja's are strong. Together they are terrifying." It was a saying back at the Academy when the teachers tried to influence teamwork. Most of the time the students just humored the teachers, but somewhere deep inside them that saying stuck. After all, the saying wouldn't have last this long if it hadn't.

Alas. Sakura had no team. No partner. And thus rendered helpless. She didn't know what happened to her team and worrying about them wouldn't help matters.

She was all alone in this. With no one to help her make decisions. She would have to rely on her brains and luck. But then again her luck wasn't so good.

"That and I don't think you're much of a threat to Konoha."

_Why you little…._ Sakura was lucky that she more use to him alive than dead.

"Besides, I could always come back and kill you after I've escaped and regrouped."

Sakura's voice was like sugar crystals. Each little mineral honed to be razor sharp. Only a foolish man would suspect her to be harmless. He wasn't a foolish man. But he didn't move away either. So he knew that his IQ wasn't too high.

He narrowed his eye at her but refrained from saying anything offensive.

"Leader wants you to join Akatsuki."

Sakura stopped and looked at Deidara like he had suddenly admitted that he wore ladies underwear.

"Well?" If he didn't know any better he might have thought she was brain dead.

Sakura blinked and came back to herself.

"You're fucking insane." She stated.

_That would be a 'no'._

"And you're stupid. yea."

* * *

It was him. 

A shiver ran up her spine. She didn't know weather it came from rage, fear, or a mixture of both. All she knew is that she hated him more than anything that walked this earth.

He was the cause of almost every trouble, every heart ache that she had had since the small age of six. She dreamt of his death, and probably wouldn't feel guilty if he suffered.

She would take great pleasure in taking out his intestines.

Her fist clenched and shook, her nails pierced her skin and blood ran from her knuckles to the floor of the hallway. The pain went unheeded.

Out of all her 19 years of life she had never felt this kind of rage. Her breath came out in a hiss though her clenched teeth and mad bloodlust reigned though her veins but he merely stood calmly in front of her, his face devoid of any emotion, waiting for her to move so he could pass.

Intelligence and boredom were the only things that showed in his eyes. Those red taunting eyes.

_You son of a bitch_. Was her first thought.

"You son of a bitch!" She yelled as her fist swung toward him in a blur.

* * *

_//..So I take what is mine,and hold what is mine,  
__suffocate what is mine, and bury what's mine.  
Soon the water will come  
and claim what is mine.  
I must leave it behind,  
and climb to a new place now...//_

_-_"Flood" Tool

* * *

Ha. Cliff hanger!

And I'm going to take a wild shoot in the dark and say that those who review will say 'Update Now'. Yeah Yeah. Saying that doesn't make the story go faster. :-P


	12. Chapter 11 Appetite

Disclaimer: rawr! Peach mad! Peach smash lawyer! Peach make lawyer mash potatoes.

Busy. Busy. Busy. You know what it's like, so you understand how hard it is to have free time to type. (Dodges knives) Sorry, don't beat me.

**IMPORTANT: There will be some heavy changes with this story(in case you haven't checked my profile). I find myself heavily irritated with the beginning of my story. I'm fixing it up. Also. Some chapter's are going to be deleted. So if you get an up date that says something like 'Chapter 11 blah blah blah by Peach' Make sure to check it. It might be the newly updated chap.**

**I'll try to be done with the fix up by March. But who knows how long this'll take.**

**Anywho Enjoy this chap.

* * *

**

Ch.13

Appetite for Destruction

_//...Run my baby run, run my baby run_

_Run from the noise of the street and the loaded gun_

_Too late for solutions to solace in the setting sun_

_So run my baby run my baby run_

_Find out who you are before you regret it_

_Because life is so short there's no time to waste it...//_

_- Garbage 'Run baby Run'

* * *

_

A choking sounded and a thud of a body falling hard echoed though the hollow hallway. Emotionless red eyes watched as she gasped for breath and her muscles twitched in convolutions of pain. Slowly he walked over to her, his sandaled feet stopping in front of her face. Her eyes met his, reflecting an overwhelming hate and hopeless frustration that seemed to swallow every other emotion.

He wasn't fazed by the pure hatred, perhaps because he had seen it many times in the eyes of other helpless enemies that had collapsed at his feet, too weak to carry on. The only emotion that showed was the distaste for her weakness. That was something he couldn't stand. Something he'd had a distaste for always.

He picked up where he had left off before she had charged at him with blood lust in her eyes, walking down the hall past her twitching body, never giving another glace, as if she was the dust that lay on the ground. But he didn't quite leave until he gave a parting shot that almost ripped away the last remaining strips of her pride.

"I'd expected more from someone of your class. I find myself unpleasantly corrected. You don't amount to much." With that he faded into the dark hallway leaving Sakura hissing at him though her teeth like some crazed snake.

"Ba...stard." She managed just to say, though he was long out of earshot.

It seemed like hours that she had laid there, her muscles refusing to obey her attempts to move, the only commands that her body obeyed were the ones that kept her alive. Such as inhaling and exhaling and the rhythmic beating of her heart. Frustration brought angry tears and a slight sting of self-pity and before she could blink away both, a single tear slid out of the corner of her eye and landed on the hallway floor, sliding into a creak and beading there as if teasing.

"Didn't figure you for a crier. Yea"

She clenched her mouth tightened. Her tongue felt like cotton in her dry mouth but she managed to speak.

"I'm. Not."

Deidara's feet appeared in her line of sight. He crossed his legs and sat before her on the hallway floor. Her eyes connected with his and stayed there, in blunt hatred. Frustrated about the one tear the escaped she managed to hold back the rest of them and none spilled over, she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction

He stared closely at her for a few moments, then his hand came out toward her and she couldn't jerk back from his reach. His knuckles, brushing the remains of the tear away.

"Of all the stupid things to do you had to attack him like an enraged hippo, who has brain damage and is suicidal. I hate him myself but I'm not stupid enough to do such things. Yea" His tone was scolding and gentle. Not what she would have expected of him at all. Before she could help herself, she felt a wave of sympathy toward him. After all if he truly hated Itachi then being called in for group meeting must be maddening for him. But the feeling was brushed quickly away. "I told you about that necklace." He tapped it with his finger to make sure she knew she still had it on. How could she not? It felt like some collar that you would give to a pet.

He looked down on her while she stared back at him with rage and frustration, then he got to his feet and picked her up by the waist and started walking off with her, her feet dragging and her head hanging like a mindless puppet.

"You remind me of a girl I once knew. Yea"

Sakura managed to reply, though she sounded like she was being strangled. "What. Did. She loath you too?" Her head came up to look at him, neck muscles quivering from the effort.

Deidara gave a wide sad smile that sent a shot of pain through Sakura's heart. She knew that smile. She'd smiled that way herself. His eyes were full of past memories and hurt. If he hadn't been her enemy she would have wrapped her arms around him to comfort. But he was. Besides her body wouldn't really obey her commands at the moment.

* * *

"Did you catch her scent yet?" 

Kiba sighed in frustration and Akamaru's folded back in a sign of dislike.

"Naruto you've asked that question five minutes ago and three minutes before that and if you ask again I'm gonna have to use those new torture techniques that I picked up along about three and a half months ago. I'll inform you when I've picked up the scent. Now please shut your face and let me work." Akamaru barked in agreement which was like a mild roar now that he was five times bigger than most humans. Naruto was beginning to suspect that Akamaru was part dinosaur.

The more the newly assembled team traveled into rogue territory the more Naruto anxious and began demanding constant answering. They all understood that Sakura was extremely important to Naruto, truly the first person he ever fell in love with, but they really would have like to hog tie him and stuff him in a closet just so they could get their jobs done. Even Kakashi was irritated.

Neji decided to intervene before Naruto became the team's favorite punching bag. Not that he didn't want to hit Naruto himself, Neji just disapproved of unequal numbers. Neji reached out and squeezed Naruto's shoulder in a rare show of affection and acknowledgement.

"Naruto, I know you're worried about Sakura but driving us all insane will not benefit you. We need you too stay calm and think with a clear head and hope for the best outcome of this mission." _Please God let that shut him up._

It didn't shut him up.

* * *

"He's not pushing her at all." 

"To join us?" Shadows whispered at each other, hugging the three figures as they talked. The place was dark, cool and damp. The favorite place for lowly insects.

"He's grown attached I think. Perhaps she reminds him of someone." The female voice was unmistakable compared to the male roughened voices, though she seemed to speak in a monotone.

"Leader, should we get some else to do Deidara's duty?" The deeper of the two male voices asked, lacking emotion.

"No. Let him figure what he needs to do on his own."

Leader's voice held an amused tone. It was clear that he was enjoying every minute of the 'Deidara and Sakura' show.

"Sir."

"Hai."

* * *

"She was always the most beautiful girl in the village. Yea." 

Sakura's eyes searched his face. What caused such a change in him? So suddenly too. Was he still trying to win her over to Akatsuki? If so he was doing a horrible job.

"Like sunlight. Always smiling no matter what. Yea." His eyes were dreamy and far away. She didn't think he was even conscious of her. His lips also raised into a dreamlike smile and Sakura felt the breath whoosh out of her. She felt like she'd been hit like a ton a bricks. An odd feeling appeared in her chest, her heart and lungs felt like it was being pressed down and she began having a hard time breathing. _**What the hell was this feeling?**_

She hung her head again, not wanting to look at him and letting Deidara drag her where ever he wanted, analyzing the feeling in her chest.

Deidara went on in his dreamlike talking.

* * *

_\\... I am realizing,_

_that everybody's lost their simple ways  
And now that is here,_

_I see it all so clearly  
I've come face to face with the enemy,_

_oh the enemy!  
Come to me …\\_

-Godsmack The enemy

* * *

**That's it for now. Sorry it's short.**

**Okay. Just make sure that you've read the note before the story. It's important. If you guys find problems tell me. I'm editing everything so I want to do this once and never edit again. It's exhausting.**

I think Sakura's falling for Deidara. OH NOOES! (makes dramatic expression) Neheh. I'm such a corny whore. (runs away)


	13. Chapter 12 Kissing the Enemy

Disclaimer:….Yeah. I've run out of ideas to amuse myself with…

Well this fixing is almost done. I've tackled the worst of it. PS. I'm going to try a DeidaraXIno oneshot (or twoshot) later in the future. Hope you guys look forward to that.

**fleur de saison:** Thank you for such a wonderful review it made my day! I'm glad you fell in love with Garbage. She's awesome. (Not to mention sexy)

Also. The chappys in the beginning skip a little oddly.

Warning: Slight rape indication. Sorry. I hate it as much as the next girl.

* * *

DayDreamer

Ch.14-Kissing the Enemy

\\...Telling Layla's story spoken  
'Bout how all her bones are broken  
Hammers fall on all the pieces  
Two months in the cover creases

Fully alive  
More than most  
Ready to smile and love life  
Fully alive and she knows  
How to believe in futures…/

"Fully Alive" Flyleaf

* * *

Back then it was peaceful. Well, as peaceful as it could get when you were forced to starve. He grew in the crevices of the city. The very ass crack of the city. It was befitting of the name too. It smelled like a sewage tank mixed with garbage. It wasn't an attractive smell. But living there was better than being dead.

His mother was a garden variety whore. There was nothing extremely breathtaking about her, nothing special, just some washed up whore that no one truly paid any attention to unless they need her services. She was always loyal to her children.

The accommodations weren't the best, nor the food, or the company, but Deidara was happy that she was his mother, whore or not. His sister was had another father but watching her over her all her life had made him feel as if he were a true brother, blood didn't not matter to him though it mattered to most back in those days. She'd had an illness that they couldn't buy medicine for and their life style and the scum in which they lived within only worsened it.

That was until Deidara was old enough to work. God, he worked, anywhere, any pay as long as it was pay, whatever job; he did it, even sold himself. He nearly killed himself doing that. But he felt if he worked hard enough his mother and sister would be safer, healthier and happier. They moved to a safer, less polluted part of the city and for awhile they were happy. They were safe.

The thought that he scoffed at now. Did anyone really know what it was to be safe?

His dream shattered when he'd come home to find both his mother and his sister raped and then murdered, by those who had everything, money, family and respect. And then they had tried to bribe him off as his mother's lifeless eyes stared, as his beautiful, fragile, shy sister bleed onto the floor and her eyes grew dim, her last breath rattling from her lungs. After all they were only having 'fun', sure they took it a little too far but sometimes that happens….'oops'.

It was a big mistake. Deidara's mistake for leaving to work, theirs for not running away like cowards they were. In the next fifteen minutes the street was coated in blood and the town was burning to cinders along with its occupants. And then Deidara turn his back and calmly walked away as if he hadn't created the massacre that lay only twenty feet away from him

That fateful day, Deidara caught the eye of the soon-to-be powerful organization called Akatsuki. The calling for revenge. Calling for power. Nothing held Deidara back from being consumed by the beckoning darkness. His only living reason was hatred. The very emotion that he was consumed by.

He wanted death back then. Craved it like air for his lungs. Not just his own death, but others, no he craved theirs' more. He watched them struggle, and then watched them admit defeat.

There was that instant of pleasure, the satisfaction of watching them feel the way that he had felt, the utter defeat and the caving in to the unavoidable destiny, like it was a chain and ball to the ankles dragging them down into the depths of the sea.

But over the past years even that little flash of pleasure was gone and his hatred now sat heavily on his shoulders, boiling and suffocating.

He wanted rid of it. He wanted the nightmares gone, the haunting guilt, the all-consuming rage. He wanted Akatsuki gone from himself.

He no longer wished to be burdened with a charge that had pink hair and beautiful green eyes that seem to see him and his skeletons. Who made him feel feelings that he'd hadn't felt in 9 years.

Sakura. He looked down at her. She'd listened to everything he'd said and never said a word. Her eyes seemed ancient, as if she knew more that she should of her years or talent. And sympathy. Even though they were enemies she still sympathized with him.

At that sympathy and touching of kindred spirits, the wall within Deidara gave, leaving him awkwardly vulnerable. The child hiding inside himself cried out and clung onto the being that was Sakura. Physically his arm tightened around her and his eye widened. Damn her. Now he was emotionally attached. How had it happened so quickly? It's as if these emotions snuck up on him and bitch slapped him in the face.

He felt irritated and as pissed off as a wet cat, which made him snap at anyone who was close to him, namely Sakura. His face became a mask and he sneered at her.

"What? Yea. You going to cry again?"

Instantly Sakura's eyes flashed and she felt her hackles rise in defense. She couldn't believe she felt sympathy for him just a few seconds ago. She needed to get a better grip on herself. He was her enemy. ENEMY. Not friend. Making friends with your enemies is not healthy.

Her lips tightened into a thin line and she opened her mouth to retort and all that came out was a furious gurgle. Her face heated and her mouth snapped closed with a smack.

She must seem really intelligent now. Gurgling at him like a half-wit. She might as well start drooling on him like a brain-dead idiot as well.

Deidara's lips twitched upwards as if he truly wished to laugh but out of sheer force of will kept from making a peep….for a few seconds, then his will broke and he began sniggering at Sakura.

Sakura's face burned a deep red and her lips tightened in displeasure. Which was when Deidara went in for a big smack on the lips. It started out as a joke but quickly it turned into something hotter. Since Sakura's bones and muscles have transformed into liquid jelly, her head was tilted back from the onslaught of his kiss and her traitorous lips opened to kiss him better. She began to feel as if she was drowning but she didn't really want to stop. How long had it been since someone had actually kissed her? REALLY kissed her? Her back sudden touched the hallway wall and his body pressed against the full length of her. Sakura felt as if she was going to spontaneously combust.

Deidara ended the kiss but his arm remained tight around her and her breath came out in a shuddering sigh which caressed his lips. His sea-green eye searched hers as if he was trying to see into her soul. Apparently he must have found what he wanted in his search because he grunted and started down the hallway, Sakura dangling from him.

* * *

"Damnit, Naruto! Shut up!"

"I wouldn't be talking if we'd already found her already."

"Would you just shut up for a couple seconds!"

"One.Two. There. Now I can talk all I want!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Make me you stupid d-"

"Children. I know you wish to rehearse your lines a teenage melodrama but please keep you PMSing to yourself. You're all giving me emotional constipation." Kakashi broke in, knowing that if he didn't stop it now it would go on forever.

Naruto and Kiba turned hostile eyes toward Kakashi, which worried him a bit. He really didn't want to get a rabies shot in chance they bit him.

Shikamaru heaved a heavy sigh of frustration and annoyance. "Can we please go now. I think you've all had enough time for your potty break."

With a little grumbling from Naruto and Kiba to Neji's and Kakashi's relief they set off again.

Getting closer to Sakura with every leaping step.

* * *

It wasn't often that Deidara gets called into a meeting with Leader. Akatsuki usually let him do what he wanted as long as he followed a few simple rules.

One rule which he was currently in the danger of breaking. 'Do not fraternize with the enemy.'

He began to wander if this called was meant to be a mental spanking to keep him in line.

"Deidara" Leader's voice called from the darkness.

"Leader-san. Yea" He replied and nodded his head in respect, though it was probably to dark to see him.

"Haruno-san has not fixed your arm. Is she not complying with our demands?"

"Leader-san. I'm sure that I could convince Sakura. It'll only take a little while more." He felt a trickle of sweat down his neck. Why was he so desperate to save some snotty pink haired ninja? Even if she did have sexy legs.

"Deidara. You've had long enough to persuade her. What is her answer?" Leader's voice sounded out. Deidara may have never seen the Leader but he felt that power in his voice.

Deidara gritted his teeth. He wanted to lie but couldn't. Wanted to buy Sakura time but couldn't.

"She won't ever join. Not in a million years. She's too stubborn. Yea" Deidara had tried to make her see. But he was clueless as to how to intimidate someone into the Akatsuki when they had a backbone made of metal.

There was a pause and the silence grew almost unbearable. The Leader was weighing his options. Deidara waited for the cold hand of death to fall on Sakura.

"Kill her."

Ice shivered down Deidara's neck. Two words he'd hadn't wanted to hear.

* * *

"Fuck you."

"Love you too, Darling. Yea" Deidara said affectionately as he crammed as much food in her mouth as he could possibly fit. He probably shouldn't have kissed her but he hadn't been able to stop himself. It was her own damn fault for being cute. There must be something majorly wrong with him since he thought she was also cute with her food stuffed cheeks and rice smeared on her face. He didn't know what was happening to him but he really wasn't liking it.

"Don't you have someone else to molest?" Her voice was muffled by the food in her mouth but he was still able to hear her.

"Nope. You're they only one for me. Yea" Somehow it hurt him to do this. Shoving poison laced food into her mouth as she lay vulnerable in front of him, hardly able to swallow. He doubted she could detect anything with in the strong flavor of the food.

His lips thinned in displeasure. This wasn't his way of killing someone. He especially didn't want to kill Haruno Sakura this way. Hell. He'd admit to himself. He didn't want to kill Sakura period. He liked her as his prisoner.

"What's with that face? Going to cry?" Sakura shot his words back at him, swallowing the food.

There was a pause and at first Sakura thought he wouldn't rise to the bait but the he spoke.

"….Yea." He said, surprising her into cocking her head to the side like a curious puppy. He tapped the chopsticks on the rim of the bowl and then set them both aside.

It would be a minute or so before she started to react to the poison. He wanted to be that last thing she saw. The last thing she heard. That was his selfishness talking. But he wanted it. Very badly.

He turned to look at her and stared at her hard. He hadn't felt emotion like regret in such a long time and it surprised him. He didn't think he was capable of the emotion.

"So you won't heal my arm? Yea." He asked the question even though he knew the answer.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him from wear she sat on the red high backed chair.

"I don't assist missing-nins. I kill them."

Deidara grinned, stood in front of her and spread his arms out as far as he could. One arm making him look oddly unbalanced.

"I'm waiting. Yea." He said, quite sure of himself.

Sakura snorted unladylike and then grinned cockily. "You just wait until I'm fully healed I'll kick you're as- " Sakura cutoff when her vision began to blur and the world began to spin. She glared accusingly at the blurred Deidara. "You bastard" She managed to rasp before falling bonelessly out of the chair.

Deidara didn't grin like always had done when he defeated an enemy. He felt no triumph. Nor pride. No. Deidara felt a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

Despair. Despair. Despair.

Despair at the loss of sweet, brave Haruno Sakura.

* * *

\\...If I could I would  
I'd change everything  
Cause I can't forget you though you don't believe me  
Now I can't walk back  
I can't leave behind  
Where does it go all the light that we had?

Everything you think you know baby  
Is wrong  
And everything you think you had baby  
Is gone

Baby we're done…/

"It's all over but the crying" Garbage

* * *

Eh. I wasn't too pleased with the beginning of this chap. But whatever. No this is not the end just so yous knows.


	14. Chapter 13 Flowers for Sakura

Disclaimer…Shut up

If you guys haven't checked my DA (my deviant art profile) you should do that. I've posted some fan art. The link to my DA should be on my profile right at the top. By now it's buried in my gallery.

AN: eh. Heh. Heh. (Cowers away from angry neglected readers) sorry, didn't mean to be away for that long.

* * *

Day Dreamer

Ch.13 Flowers for Sakura

_/...Our days are running thin._

_Our hopes will start to fall._

_I can feel the world collapse around me from within_

_And the letters keep on coming by to let us know when _

_time will die._

_And please, God, will you forgive us and give us one more try? ..../_

_-_Boxcar Racer 'The End with you'

* * *

Carrying dead weight on your shoulders wasn't the easiest thing to do in the world. Especially to Deidara who only possessed one arm and one eye. Add running at top speed with it and things get really complicated. But he still managed, he wasn't a top notch nin for nothing.

Deidara took immediate dislike to the coldness of Sakura's body and dead weight that seemed to drag him down. But at least she hadn't released her bladder yet. That's not something he would really enjoy.

(AN: For those of you who don't know. A deceased body releases its bladder after an hour or so. Basically, Dead people will pee on you.)

But then again Deidara didn't like a lot of things. Like how Sakura, though head lolling, managed to get droll all over his shoulder. He skidded across a damp branch and mentally shook his head at himself for immaturely daydreaming when he had work to do. As he did so he was smacked in the face by another wet branch, sending Sakura sprawling off his shoulder and landing awkwardly on the ground. Deidara let out a stream of curses.

"He's quite a potty-mouth. What do you think we should do with him, Kisumi?" A deep male voice called.

"Rip his tongue out with rusty pliers of course." A flat female replied.

"Shit. Yea." Deidara withdrew a kunai as he dragged Sakura's body out of the way.

In those next several seconds the whole world blasted itself to hell as highly skilled ninjas went head to head.

* * *

"Come on ladies, bathroom break is over. Let's move."

"You went pee too, Shikamaru. Don't blame us just 'cause you have a quicker pee shooter."

"Pee shooter? Where the hell do you get your vocabulary, Naruto?" Kiba sneered at Naruto. The whole squad was itching for a fight.

"From your sister." Naruto shot back.

Being from a clan as closely knit as Kiba's, the comment would have instantly started a smack down, no bars held-fight…..if Kiba's sister hadn't been a three year old with a lisp. All Naruto got was a scoff from the entire squad and another sneer from Kiba.

"Well at least learning from my sister will give you some intelligence."

"Shut up, doggy boy."

"Hey!" Neji snarled as he whipped around to confront Naruto and Kiba. "All dumbasses need to shut the fuck up while the train is in motion."

Everyone with taken aback be the rare show of aggression in Neji. Everyone's mouth snapped shut and their voice boxes plunged down into their stomachs.

It was quiet for a really long time.

The peace of the forest was abruptly interrupted by a blast of explosives and Neji and the group turned to look accusingly at Naruto.

"WHAT?! I didn't do anything! I passed explosives 101!"

Kiba snorted, "Yeah, barely."

"No witty banter when some is trying to blow us up." Neji commanded before disappearing into the greenery of the forest.

A coyly female voice spoke from above the group. "My, my. It seems to me like there are quite a lot of people who seem to think that they can just walk onto other countries territories without facing consequences. People these days have no manners." The female said with a sigh.

"You're one to talk, you old hag! Throwing bombs at innocent people is a really bad show of manners!" Naruto yelled back.

"Old hag? You want me to tear out your intestines and play jump rope with them while you watch, you pubescent, dim-witted twerp? You're walking on Rain Country territory with Fire Country weapons and bombs, in military formation, traveling with speed and stealth and you expect me to believe that you're innocent? Ha. I was not born yesterday, little boy."

Kakashi tried to make peace. "Please, we do not want confrontation. We're merely looking for one of our own ninjas who were kidnapped a while back. Perhaps you could help us?"

"Pfft. You are obviously one of those men who think women have soft hearts and even softer brains. Let me show you how that type of thinking will get you killed." The black-haired female nin said sweetly while wiped began whipping out kunai with explosive tags on them.

* * *

Here, kitty kitty, Here, kitty kitty." The rough female voice teased Deidara.

"What's wrong, little boy? Tired?" The male asked. "Come out!" We'll make sure you get a very good rest. We'll even tuck you in." He chuckled darkly.

"One bed time you'll never wake up from." The slithering female voice added.

His arm had begun to ache profusely. Sweat and blood was pouring off him like rain but a huge grin split Deidara's face almost in half. _God he was having fun._ He loved battling which was why he liked the pink-haired freak so much. She fought with him all the time and she not only had a volatile temper but she also fought like a wild cat when caged. A cat was a perfect analogy for her considering how sharp her teeth were. If possible his grin widened, remembering when she had bit him in one of their fights. Oddly enough the pain had felt good somehow. _God. The pink-haired freak was turning him into a perv._

"Found you, you little rat."

Deidara He cursed himself and Sakura for the distraction and jumped away from the male voice before even looking toward the physical being that it came from. He would have lost time looking backward. Time that would have separated his head from his shoulders.

He liked his head where it was, thank you very much.

He tossed a clay bird behind him as lunged away and took cover behind a large tree.

"SHIT!"

Explosions blasted the area.

Curses and smoke filled the air and the smell of sulfur that only comes with large explosives.

Trees tore from their roots and blew apart, showering the people within the forest with splinters, leaves and small rodents or birds that occupied the trees. Trees erupted with fire. Naruto's teammates lay strewn across the forest floor bleeding from the blast of the explosion and the tree that had suddenly turned into projectiles. Curses and smoke filled the air. A woman's body flew through the air and landed haphazardly on the forest floor and debris fell on her, covering most of her body and framed by debris were strands of pink peeking out.

Naruto was the first to arise from the debris and look around, checking for his teammates. He counted Kiba, Kakashi and Neji, all three either unconcious or only semi-conscious, but he was sure that the rest were also alright. As he looked around he caught the glimpse of pink and started towards it but was blocked off by the female nin rising from the debris.

"DAMNIT! YOU DAMN BASTARD! WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU! I'M GONNA STRANGLE THE LIFE RIGHT OUT OF YOU!" A enraged female voice yelled from of in the distance of the forest.

"Mai Lee! What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be scouting the other side of the forest." A foreign female nin shouted as she arose from the rubble, shaking debris out of her hair and brushing her clothes as she yelled at her teammate.

"What the hell does it look like? I'm getting a pedicure!" The female voice , Mai Lee, shouted sarcastically back. "I'm being attacked you dumbass! Some asshole blondie thought he could just waltz on through here."

"Looks like you have a friend, twerp. Not for long though. So enjoy it while it lasts." The female nin, aka dumbass, sneered at Naruto as she lashed her leg out at him. Naruto jumped away and threw kunai at her, which in turn was dodged.

"Ha. You call that an attak? Let me show you how a real girl throws." Dumbass sneered some more at him and tossed large bomb pellets at him.

Which didn't help the situation of the burning forest.

The flames grew higher and the smoke thicker. "Ah. Maybe those bombs weren't such a good idea." Dumbass said.

"No. You think?" Naruto said as he coughed. He was crouched and ready incase she decided to charge him.

"Aoi, you crazy bitch! What the hell?" Mai Lee shouted from her place in the forest. "You better hope it rains before this fire reaches the village."

"I don't think the fires will be put out any time soon..yea, not if I can help it." A voice said from above. Everyone looked up, surprised and then gasped in horror as Deidara grinned and opened his hand...and let the clay bird drop.

* * *

The air was filled with fire and frantic, confused yelling. Naruto shielded his eyes, protecting them as he looked for his teammates, shaking Kakashi and Neji to consciousness, and looking for that pink glimpse that he had seen. Kakashi and Neji went looking for the rest of the team while Naruto remained behind.

It had to be Sakura. It had to be. He didn't know how she got here but he was determind to find her again.

The fire was too consuming for anyone to see or even breath but Naruto remained in the fire. He would have blown it away if he could but too little air would only feed the fire and too strong would create a vortex that could kill anyone within, including Sakura. He didn't come all this way just to kill Sakura. if Sakura was here.

Neji appeared at Naruto's side, protecting his face with his arm, while he tried to tug Naruto toward safty."Naruto this is insane! Why are you still here? Let's go."

"I can't! Sakura's here! I saw her." Naruto shouted frantically. "I saw her."

"Shit. Has the smoke addled your brain?! Why would Sakura be here?"

"I saw her!"

"Well, I don't see her now!"

Naruto tugged frantically away from him, breaking free and heading further into the fire.

Neji hissed. Just what he needed, stupid Naruto rushing into a fire after some delusion and killing himself. If he died Tsunada would skin him alive and then stomp on his intestines. She'd probably use his dried skin like a welcome mat. Neji shuddered and rushed after his crazy teammate.

Naruto looked frantically under debris, not caring when he burnt his hands and not when his sleeve caught on fire. He was burned badly on his face, hands, legs and feet. His eyes wept from either the extreme heat or the fear of finding a dead Sakura.

His breath disapiated to strangled inhalations, his lungs becoming deprived for fresh air. He didn't slow his search until his vision began to flicker like someone was turning the lights on and off. The blackness.

Naruto's last thought was of Sakura.

* * *

"You dumb bastard." Neji yelled at the uncocious Naruto on his back as they ran as fast as they could from the fire. Kakashi carting Shikamaru, half dragging, half carrying him.

"God why do I have to be stuck with all the idiots?"

"Hey. I take offense to that." Kiba said as he wiped the blood from his face with his shoulder, Akumu tucked in his arms, unconcious.

"Is there any possible way _not_ to take offense to it?" Sai asked, smiling.

Kiba just growled back.

"Be on your guard."Neji warned suddenly.

"Ah, so you sensed him?" Kakashi asked Neji, looking at out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, it feels as if he's trying to mask himself and not doing a very good job of it." Neji observed, shifting Naruto's weight on his back. "Do think it's the Akatsuki from earlier?"

"Probable."

"Damn." Kiba said, squeezing Akumu just a little. Man, he hoped he and his best bud got out of this alright.

"We seem to be very unlucky." Sai said, sighing.

Neji gritted his teeth. "We have no choice but to face him."

"You could run away like cowards, yea, but that wouldn't be very entertaining at all." A new voice said.

The whole team halted as they came face to face with the Akatsuki man.

He smirked at them, not at all threatened by them. And he carried body over his shoulder.

Deidara laughed.

"I've a present for you Konoha ninjas, yea. Would you like to see?"

Without encouragement Deidara tossed the body down at their feet.

Pink hair parted to reveal Sakura's small, fairy like face.

"SAKURA!" Naruto shouted. Having just regained conciousness a few seconds ago, he was trying to make sense out of what was happening. The one thing that made sense in Naruto's world was his family. And those who hurt them were the enemy. No matter what.

Naruto leaped off Neji's back and rushed to Sakura's prone body.

Sakura lay battered, bloody and pasty as death. She looked dead, and as Naruto reached out, shakily and touched her cheek, she felt very dead, cold.

Naruto dropped to his knees beside her and his hands cradled her head. Shock, disbelief and underlying pain flashed across his face. He didn't care about the Akatsuki before him, didn't care even care about the people behind him. Hot tears of pain began running from his eyes down his burned and dirty cheeks and onto her face. The only sensible thought within the chaos of his mind was a plea; to any and all gods to let Sakura be alive.

Naruto simply stared at Sakura's body in silence. In the back of his head, he was sure that something was going on. Not a battle but a conversation, but in his sorrow every word had become warped and garbaled so he couldn't make anything out. His shoulders began to shake with the force of his pain.

Suddenly hands were on his shoulders, dragging him back to his feet. Someone was in his face. 'Leave me alone.' he wanted to shout but his mouth wouldn't move. They were speaking to him but he wouldn't listen.

"Naruto, we have to go now. I'm sorry. We can't stay here. It's not safe....Naruto? You listening to me? Come on Naruto."

"Bring her." Naruto rasped. "Bring her."

"We will Naruto, come on."

"Can't believe that she's dead. She can't be dead." Naruto mumbled in shock.

"She's not dead Naruto." Neji told him, as he picked up Sakura in his arms.

"What?!" Naruto shouted, hope flaring in his eyes.

"It's faint. We need to get her to a hospital soon but her heart is beating."

Naruto fell to his knees again, but this time relief brought him to the ground, not sorrow.

* * *

_/...Change has come_

_Keep your dignity_

_take the high road_

_take it like a man_

_Momma said, life awaits_

_like a kidney stone_

_it's just a broken heart son_

_this pain will pass away .../_

-Puscifier ' Momma Sed'

* * *

Okay, so that's my chappie that apparently took two years....

That's not the ending just incase you're wondering.

I will try to work hard to update. I don't like not finishing things, so I will try. Also. I'm editing agian. Cause I'm sick of cringing at this story. I'm just putting a lot more stuff, and events into some of the chapters. Cause they're a little boring. But you shouldn't get any updates from anything


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